Gay Yakuza USA

Dwight Okita's Book Signing

2011-10-27T07:52:00.001-07:00

New author Dwight Okita talks about his self-published work "The Prospect of My Arrival," about allowing a person to examine the world before being born. Does the main character named, "Prospect," choose to live?

i2i Readings

2011-08-22T13:47:00.000-07:00

Invisible to Invincible ( i2i ) : Asian Pacific Islander Pride of Chicago hosted an interactive discussion, "Story of My Pride," Aug. 13 at Asian Human Services in Uptown, where guests shared their coming-out stories.
From family reactions to first-hand accounts and experiences, speakers shared intimate details of how they navigated through their sexuality. Volunteer Dwight Okita believed that the event was a hands-on way of connecting people and their stories.

"Some people think being queer and Asian is a double minority. I look at it as a double happiness," he said.

According to the organization's website, Invisible to Invincible ( i2i ) : Asian & Pacific Islander Pride of Chicago is a community-based organization that celebrates and affirms Asian/Pacific Islanders who identify as LGBTQQ ( lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning or queer ) in the Chicago area. Photos and text by Terrence Chappell

Yellow Face

2011-07-19T08:16:00.001-07:00

Silk Road Theater company in Chicago has produced "Yellow Face" by David Henry Huang, the author of "M. Butterfly." It runs for two more weeks.

Asians and Friends Networking--Calif. & Hawaii

2011-07-14T11:24:00.000-07:00

Asians and Friends Chicago Pres. Angel Abcede reached out to A & F and Long Yang members while on a trip through California and Hawaii. He went to a couple of pool parties in Santa Ana, Calif.; spent nights at Hula's and Angle's in Honolulu; and spent time with Long Yang members at The Loft in San Diego. Here's a photo account:

Community Engagement of Filipinos in Chicago

2011-06-30T12:10:00.001-07:00

Civic and Community Engagement of Filipinos in Chicago Project

Eligibility: Filipinos 18 years or older who live in the Chicagoland Area

Description: This research takes place in Chicago and participation will involve attending only one 2 to 2.5 hour workshop with 10 other participants. This interactive and creative workshop will focus on the topic of "Immigration." The goal of this workshop is to learn from one another and to identify commonalities and differences in your experiences as Filipinos.

The workshop will be videorecorded. The workshop is confidential and will take place at the Vietnamese Association of Illinois Office. This is just a one-time participation and once you have participated in this workshop, you will not be obligated to participate in other workshops.

Your participation is voluntary and you can withdraw from participating at any time without penalty. Food and refreshments will be provided. You will also receive a token gift as well as a nominal stipend to cover your time and travel/parking expenses.

If you are interested in participating in this research and/or need more information, please contact Dr. Anna Guevarra at guevarra@uic.edu. Please also refer to the attached flyer.

Pride 2011: Asians and Friends Chicago

2011-06-28T10:43:00.000-07:00

Asians and Friends Chicago members celebrated the city's Pride Day with a float entitled: "I'm not a Transformer; I'm a Transvestite!" Great times had by all.

Asians and Friends Chicago Pres. Wins Award

2011-06-17T08:59:00.000-07:00

Asians and Friends Chicago's board president Angel Abcede won a community service award from Harris Bank this morning. At the bank's LGBT affinity group's Pride breakfast, Angel was recognized for the AIDS-awareness work and work with Asians and Friends that he has done over the years.

How to Date Positively Event

2011-06-08T09:44:00.000-07:00

The Banyan Tree Project at Asian Human Services, presents How to Date Positively, a discussion on the physical, emotional, and spiritual components of dating someone who is HIV positive. Furthermore, we will discuss sexual health and confidentiality. The event will be facilitated by William Tutol and friend of the agency, Michael Jones on June 29th, 2011 from 6:30PM-8PM in the 1st Floor conference room. The event is free and open to anyone interested in learning more about the topic. We will also offer free and confidential HIV testing for those who are interested. It would be great if you could attend and/or pass along the information to friends, family, clients and colleagues. Thank you so much for the support!

Best,

Amanda

Amanda Lengsouthiphong

Community Health Outreach Worker

Asian Human Services

4753 N. Broadway Suite 700

Chicago, IL 60640

Phone: (773)293-8481

Email: alengsouthiphong@ahschicago.org

A Well-regarded Counter Tenor

2011-06-08T05:39:00.000-07:00

Japanese Elect First Openly Gay Politician

2011-04-27T07:20:00.000-07:00

Taiga Ishikawa, 36, won a seat in a Tokyo ward assembly in the Japanese capital’s local elections on Sunday. He is the first openly gay person to hold office in Japan.

Mr Ishikawa told AFP: “I hope my election victory will help our fellows nationwide to have hope for tomorrow, as many of them cannot accept themselves, feel lonely and isolated and even commit suicide.”

He also said: “As a ward assembly member, I would like to reinforce support for LGBT children in schools.”

Mr Ishikawa revealed his sexuality in his 2002 book Where Is My Boyfriend?. He said: “Many of my readers told me they were isolated and that my situation in the book was so similar to theirs.”

More Images

2011-04-26T08:01:00.001-07:00

More and more Asian faces are appearing on advertising. Here's one on a Chicago bus.

Chicago Civil Unions Event--June 2

2011-04-12T09:31:00.000-07:00

On June 1 civil unions will become legal in Illinois. On that day, the state will begin issuing civil union licenses, and any same-sex couple that is legally married or civilly united in another state or country will be recognized as civilly united in Illinois. Starting June 2, civil unions can be performed here as well.

To celebrate the first day of civil union ceremonies in Illinois, at 10 a.m. on Thursday, June 2, the City of Chicago will host up to 30 civil unions at Wrigley Square in Millennium Park.

The civil unions will be performed by Cook County Clerk David Orr and volunteer judges. The ceremony for each couple will take place individually. Part of the purpose of the event is to make a public statement, so media will be present.

Concurrent with the ceremonies, from 10 a.m. until 12 noon, there will be a private reception for the newly united couples and up to eight (8) guests per couple in the Chicago Cultural Center. The reception is sponsored by Equality Illinois and Lambda Legal.

Lambda Legal will select the couples for the event to make sure their diversity reflects that of the city — including male couples, female couples, and different sex couples — so it is reaching out to organizations like Asians and Friends Chicago to seek participation.

If you are interested in participating, please call Jim Bennett or Erik Roldan at (312) 663-4413.

In summary:

If you are interested in participating, please call Lambda Legal as soon as possible. Those chosen must obtain their civil union licenses on June 1. On June 2, beginning at 10 a.m., civil union ceremonies for individual couples will be held in Millennium Park, with judges officiating. Equality Illinois and Lambda Legal will host a reception for the newly united couples and up to eight (8) guests per couple in the Chicago Cultural Center, which is across the street from Millennium Park. In the case of rain, the entire event — ceremonies and reception — will be held in the Cultural Center.

One caveat: Because of the way the law is written, couples who are already legally married or entered into a legal civil union cannot participate. They will be automatically entered into an Illinois civil union on June 1.

GAM-TV Debut in Chicago

2011-03-23T13:44:00.000-07:00

Sat. March 26, 2011: GAM-TV Permiere Tea Party, 3 p.m. at @mosphere Bar, 5355 N. Clark in Chicago. Free admission. Cash bar. GAM-TV, a fledgling, new, grass-roots web channel based here in Chicago, is debuting its first “season” of three different series–-a musical documentary; a news-profile series on Chicago-area gay, Asian men (GAM); and a comedy drama about a gay, Chinese-American 20-something making his first real, social and romantic contacts.

Asians and Friends Chicago (AFC) is co-sponsoring the event. Afterwards, a group will go to a neighborhood (Andersonville area) restaurant for dinner at about 4:30 p.m., please call the AFC hotline to RSVP, (312) 409-1573.

AFC Makes March Plans

2011-02-24T14:38:00.000-08:00

Asians and Friends Chicago has announced their March 2011 series of social events. Included are two interesting gatherings:

The start of AFC’s new Dining Club and a GAM-TV Premiere Tea Party!

Wed. March 16, 2011: AFC’s first Dining Club gathering at 7 p.m. at Sun Wah Bar-B-Que at 5039 N. Broadway in Chicago. Part of a new, periodic gathering of those interested in trying new dining establishments, AFC members will experience new restaurants, critique them amongst each other and then nominate and decide on the next gathering place. The bill will be split evenly and thoughts from the group will be posted on the AFC Web site. Come join in this exciting new adventure. RSVP by noon on Mon., March 14 to secure a spot via AFC’s hotline: (312) 409-1573.

Sat. March 26, 2011: GAM-TV Permiere Tea Party, 3 p.m. at @mosphere Bar, 5355 N. Clark in Chicago. Free admission. Cash bar. GAM-TV, a fledgling, new, grass-roots web channel based here in Chicago, is debuting its first “season” of three different series–a musical documentary; a news-profile series on Chicago-area gay, Asian men (GAM); and a comedy drama about a gay, Chinese-American 20-something making his first real, social and romantic contacts. Then later, if you’d like to be part of a group intending to go to a neighborhood (Andersonville area) restaurant for dinner at about 5:30 p.m., please call our hotline to RSVP, (312) 409-1573.

i2i Hosts Literary Sharing Evening

2011-02-23T03:39:00.000-08:00

The GLBT Asian and Pacific Islander group in Chicago called i2i held an evening of poetry, narrative and story sharing this past week at a cafe in the Andersonville neighborhood of the city.

Here's a few words recapping the event from one of the organizers, Dwight O.:

I just wanted to thank folks for their delicious participation in STORY OF MY HEART on Sunday! And thanks to my co-presenter Ryan who also helped to bring some new folks out. There was an amazingly diverse group of stories. Some common themes arose including the pervasive influence of the internet on queer dating, and the great diversity of desires that we humans have.

Below are just a few of the highlights from a dozen fascinating stories told. Some people had written out their comments, some talked off the cuff. But the stories were all filled with humor and tenderness and unexpected twists. This made for an entertaining event which shined a bright light on queer asian love and sex in the new millennium. If you weren't there, you missed a good one. Sorry I can't mention each story, but this will give you a taste:

-- Gurl-gurl flirtations on a bus between an Asian woman and an Iraqui woman. Lots of ambiguity and humor came from each woman being clueless about each other's cultures.

-- Real-life confessions of a gogo dancer boy who worked the Gaysian nights at Wilde Pug. Can a relationship based on mere sexual titillation grow into something more?

-- One guy (not the pining romantic type) stumbles onto true love on Match.com. He is puzzled when his boyfriend asks him to move in with him. "Why? I have my own apartment."

-- A woman is unsettled when she awakens to her first attraction to another woman during an otherwise uneventful academic conference.

-- An HIV negative man embarks on his first relationship with an man who is HIV positive. He's surprised to discover that the barriers to their love have nothing to do with HIV status.

-- In the fluid sexuality of the gay male community, the notion of "having an affair" seems almost quaint, borrowed from straight culture. But for one man, that's what it was.

-- "No string attached (NSA)" means sex without expectations, without reciprocation. But sometimes you still get more than you bargained for.

We had 15 attendees in the cozy back room at Winston's which filled us to capacity. People loved the room with its purple walls and inviting atmosphere. Half of the attendees were brand-new or pretty new to i2i, which is great. Some folks who were just coming out commented how inspiring it was to hear so many different experiences. Afterwards people recommended that STORY OF MY HEART be presented on a more regular and frequent basis. So maybe we could do this again in 2011. Watch the listserv. And we'll be posting photos from the event on the website shortly.

SE Asian LGBTQ Census

2011-02-16T07:28:00.000-08:00

Organizers of a special survey are in the final countdown to completing the first ever national census of queer Southeast Asians in the US!! If you haven't yet taken this and identify as LGBTQ and Southeast Asian (meaning from a country impacted directly by the Vietnam War: Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia), please take this survey and spread the word!!!

Thank you!!

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/QSEAnetworkcensus

Anniversary Party at Bill and Chen's

2010-08-16T11:58:00.000-07:00

Asians and Friends Chicago held its 26th anniversary party in Roger's Park at Bill and Chen's place. Chen keeps a wonderful garden that was in all its glory, and the bean-bag champs: Bill and Makoto! Congrats.

Harris Bank LGBT Pride Kickoff

2010-06-10T05:34:00.000-07:00

Part of Asians and Friends Chicago's growth plans are to possibly involve more professional- and career-focused events, so through some networking officers were invited to Harris Bank's GLBT Pride breakfast. Here, executives with the bank speak in support of the company's GLBT initiatives, and an employee, Larry Passo, receives an award from the bank's GLBT group.

Asians and Friends Chicago Celebrated 25

2010-05-18T03:13:00.000-07:00

Asians and Friends Chicago celebrated its 25th anniversary in style with a gala ball held at the Hotel Allegro in downtown Chicago. The event included a silent auction featuring a local celebrity's painting, a jazz dance company and a local cabaret show choir.

Asians and Friends Get Blog Mention

2010-04-21T11:02:00.000-07:00

Asians and Friends Chicago was featured in a blog about GLBT and straight anniversaries. The group is celebrating its 25th anniversary along with couples who are gathering to honor unions and relationships.

George Takei and Brad Altman Make Census Plea

2010-03-24T09:23:00.001-07:00

Our superhero gay duo have made a public-service announcement regarding the Census and how gay couples can "be counted." This also ties into Chicago's historic "Our Anniversary Ball," a GLBT & straight celebration of unions, relationships and family, set for May 7 at the Hotel Allegro downtown. Asians and Friends Chicago has also tied its 25th Anniversary celebration to this event.

Bye-bye Dat

2010-03-22T00:58:00.001-07:00

Just a few hazy memories of Dat's going-away and bachelorette party. We'll miss him as he moves to Ohio to be with his new love.

Pre-Ball Event Last Friday

2010-03-14T10:02:00.001-07:00

Asians and Friends Chicago is combining its 25th Anniversary celebration with a GLBT & S Anniversary Ball to be held May 7 at the Hotel Allegro in Chicago. Here are photos from a promotional event held last Friday.

Oscar Fun

2010-03-08T05:25:00.001-08:00

Alright, who doesn't want to get dressed up for the Oscars? Here, Angel, president of Asians and Friends Chicago has an Oscar moment with friends. Hope everyone had fun last night!

Project Runway Standout

2010-03-05T03:37:00.000-08:00

Project Runway is truly revealing a talent. Jay Sario has won two challenges so far and presents a detailed, fashion-forward eye. In this week's episode, he made garbage bags look luxurious and chic.

Anniversary "Pre-Ball at The Call" - March 12

2010-02-25T09:13:00.000-08:00

Asians and Friends Chicago is combining its 25th Anniversary celebration with a GLBT & S Anniversary Ball set for May 7. The charity hosting the event is having a preliminary function on March 12. Hope you all can come.

Right to Marry Rally

2010-02-21T20:48:00.000-08:00

Chicago's chapter of Lambda Legal held its 9th annual Right to Marry rally for the GLBT community. About 300 people attended at the Mexican Art Museum on the city's near South Side.

Choi Back on Duty

2010-02-17T01:32:00.001-08:00

Here's a piece from The Advocate:

Dan Choi Back on Drill Duty

By Michelle Garcia

Gay military rights advocate Lt. Dan Choi has been called back into drill duty, he told The Advocate in a phone interview Tuesday. Photographer Jeff Sheng, who recently turned his lens on active gay and lesbian service members for a book about "don't ask, don't tell," originally reported the news on Bilerico.com.

Choi was scheduled to appear at the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force's Creating Change conference over the weekend but instead rejoined his unit. Choi said his commander called him personally, asking him to return.

Choi told The Advocate that he felt welcomed back by his fellow guardsmen in his infantry unit.

"Initially, I sensed a feeling of territorialism," he said. "They were like, 'That's right, he came back to us!'"

Even though Choi faced an Army National Guard committee in June — the board recommended he be discharged under "don't ask, don't tell" — his commanding officer was highly supportive of the Arabic translator and West Point graduate.

"The paperwork has been floating around in the Pentagon very slowly," Choi said. "Usually people wait six or seven days for their discharge. Meanwhile I'm waiting for months to hear back."

Since his hearing in June, Choi hasn't been able to perform drills with his unit — he said he's been substituting by doing those routines on the side. He has not been discharged, however. Now that he is back, he has been spending time "shooting rifles and doing all of the regular drill exercises."

"It felt good to just put away a lot of the past year," he said, also comparing his return to that of a Thanksgiving gathering. "Obviously there were soldiers following everything I was doing, or there were others who didn't have a clue."

Chinese New Year's Dinner 2010

2010-02-15T03:38:00.000-08:00

Members of Asians and Friends Chicago gathered for their annual Chinese New Year's Dinner last weekend. The turnout was high at about 70 guests, who not only had a huge meal but were entertained by a cabaret act--a performance which also served as a prelude to their 25th Anniversary celebration set for May 7.

Banyan Tree Movie Night

2010-02-11T11:02:00.001-08:00

The Banyan Tree project will be hosting another “Night at the Movies” @ the Evanston Public Library on Wednesday, March 3rd, 2010 @ 6:30PM. It will include a screening of the film with a short discussion to follow. Furthermore, it’s a FREE event, so please tell your friends, family, colleagues, social networks, etc. Thanks again for all of your support!

Wednesday, March 3rd, 2010 @ 6:30PM

Evanston Public Library

1703 Orrington

Evanston, IL 60201

CTA: Purple line to Davis

Contact:

William Baciles Tutol, M.A.

HIV/AIDS Prevention Project Coordinator

Asian Human Services

2838 W. Peterson

Chicago, IL 60659

wtutol@ahschicago.org

direct: 773.564.4958

fax: 773.338.7946

Walk-In HIV Testing

2010-02-10T07:15:00.000-08:00

On the second Tuesday of the month, the Banyan Tree Project @ Asian Human Services in Chicago will be hosting walk-in services for persons interested in getting an anonymous, free and empowering HIV test.

Contact:

William Baciles Tutol, M.A.

HIV/AIDS Prevention Project Coordinator

Asian Human Services

2838 W. Peterson

Chicago, IL 60659

wtutol@ahschicago.org

direct: 773.564.4958

fax: 773.338.7946

Filipino Prisoners Get Flashy

2010-01-28T04:00:00.000-08:00

The Filipino prisoners who made it big on YouTube recording Michael Jackson's "Thriller" have another video out. This one is slicker and the lead dancers don't even look Filipino.

Immigration Group Reaches Out

2010-01-26T14:22:00.001-08:00

Asians and Friends Chicago received the following correspondence:

I am writing from the National Immigrant Justice Center (NIJC) in Chicago. I am the outreach coordinator for our National Asylum Partnership on Sexual Minorities (NAPSM), our project that deals with LGBT immigration issues.

I'm writing because NIJC, in partnership with the Strength in Unity Coalition and the Center on Halsted are planning a forum on February 16, focusing on mobilization of the LGBT community in support of CIR and building a progressive coalition between the LGBT and immigrant communities. We have also added a second forum date of February 23, at the Rudy Lozano Library in Pilsen. I think it would be wonderful to have a representative (or several!) from Asians and Friends at one or both forum dates.

To be a little more specific, we are planning to discuss the common ground and the benefits of partnership between the LGBT and immigrant communities, and then move on to the major issues facing these communities and areas where large scale mobilization can and will be key in the upcoming months. Finally, we're hoping to talk about short and long term goals and strategies for advocacy and grassroots level outreach. If all goes well, this will hopefully jump start a coalition of the groups involved that will have some real power. The event will be pretty low-key and informal, but hopefully will generate a lot of great ideas, strategies, and aims.

We would be delighted to have you there, and please let me know if you have any questions.

Best,

Hannah Rapp
National Immigrant Justice Center
A Heartland Alliance Partner
208 S. LaSalle St., Suite 1818
Chicago, IL 60604
312-660-1306 (direct)
312-660-1505 (fax)
www.immigrantjustice.org

First Chinese Gay Pageant Shut Down

2010-01-15T11:30:00.001-08:00

BEIJING - Police shut down what would have been China's first gay pageant on Friday an hour before it was set to begin, highlighting the enduring sensitivity surrounding homosexuality and the struggle by gays to find mainstream acceptance.

Organizers said they were not surprised when eight police officers turned up at the upscale club in central Beijing where the pageant, featuring a fashion show and a host in drag, was set to take place.

"They said the content, meaning homosexuality, there's nothing wrong with that, but you did not do things according to procedures," Ben Zhang said. Police told him he needed official approval for events that included performances, in this case a stage show.

Year of the Tiger Dinner in Chicago

2010-01-10T09:12:00.000-08:00

Asians and Friends Chicago is set to hold its annual Chinese New Year's Dinner on Sat., Feb. 6, 2010, at Phoenix Restaurant, 2131 S. Archer in the city's Chinatown district. The price is $45 persale and $50 at the door and includes a multi-course dinner and cabaret-style performance. Visit www.afchicago.org to order tickets.

Gay TV

2009-12-31T07:01:00.000-08:00

This was posted on YouTube as being "Singapore's first gay TV scenes."

Trip to the Addams Family

2009-12-23T07:58:00.000-08:00

The Addams Family is making its intial debut run in Chicago prior to going to Broadway in New York. An offshoot group of Asians and Friends Chicago made a holiday visit to the kooky clan.

FINC Ball

2009-12-21T01:33:00.000-08:00

The Chicago Filipinos who organize a float every year for Pride Parade (they call themselves "FINC" which stands for "Filipinos in Chicago") had a fundraiser this weekend in a highrise on Lake Shore Drive. Though it was cloudy, the fun and "awards" were plentiful.

A Filipino Christmas Party

2009-12-11T04:27:00.001-08:00

A lot of merriment and cheer at Chip and Gordon's caroling party. Chip has the connection to the Filipino men in Chicago.

Naked Sushi!

2009-12-05T06:12:00.000-08:00

The men of Asians and Friends Chicago held a "Naked Sushi" fundraiser a couple of weeks ago and found it to be a unique and amazing event. Most had never eaten sushi off of a person before, so it opened a lot of eyes to the sensuality of food. Plus, two of the four models were adult film stars from Toby Ross films. In addition, there was a sushi chef, a sake shot boy and a chair masseur. Good times!

Mr. Hyphen

2009-12-02T02:23:00.000-08:00

San Francisco has a faux pageant called Mr. Hyphen, aimed at dashing stereotypes of Asian men as being sexless and nerdy. Pahole Sookkasikon, an American-born man of Thai decent, won.

Film Night

2009-11-30T09:51:00.001-08:00

The Banyan Tree Project @ Asian Human Services

Presents……….

SAVING FACE

DECEMBER 15, 2009 6p-9p

4753 NORTH BROADWAY

FIRST FLOOR CONFERENCE ROOM

UPTOWN, CHICAGO, IL

60640

Film. Discussion. Friends

On the Mark

2009-11-23T08:05:00.000-08:00

Mark M. is a Chicago resident who's started to do a video blog. You may want to follow his antics ...

CNN's Hero of the Year

2009-11-22T23:39:00.001-08:00

Here's a link to the CNN Hero of the Year who is Filipino.

Dim Sum

2009-11-16T03:55:00.000-08:00

Every first Sunday of the month, Asians and Friends Chicago holds a Dim Sum gathering at the Furama restaurant in Chicago. It's a nice way to consistently meet. This was the day after Halloween.

A Coopy Interview

2009-11-11T02:26:00.001-08:00

Anderson Cooper has an appeal to a broad range of demographics, including gay Asians. Here's Asians and Friends Chicago's Board Pres. Angel Abcede "interviewing" the CNN icon at the CNN store in Atlanta during ifCON 2009.

Jon and Kate Plus Eight

2009-11-02T01:04:00.000-08:00

Members of Asians and Friends Chicago banded together to do a Jon and Kate Plus Eight entry in this weekend's Halsted Street Halloween Parade. They won Best Group in the parade contest competition.

Rising from the Crypt

2009-10-28T14:07:00.000-07:00

Asians and Friends Chicago Board Pres. Angel Abcede takes a moment to emerge while on a tour of the architecturally historic Graceland Cemetary in Chicago.

Halloween Season Begins

2009-10-26T09:05:00.001-07:00

Asians and Friends members joined Omar at his Halloween party this past Satuday in Elgin, Illinois. Several members won prizes that included a DVD player and an iPOD. But this is just the beginning of the Halloween season! More to come...

Political Activism

2009-10-16T08:45:00.000-07:00

Chicago's i2i group, which stands for "Invisible to Invincible," is a politically active collective of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered Asian-Pacific Americans. They're planning a big year of new activities. Here they are talking about their plans.

Openly Gay Candidate for Judge

2009-10-14T09:19:00.001-07:00

An openly gay candidate for Cook County judge in Chicago explains how qualifications should be the primary criteria for selecting any political candidate, but that representation is also important. Linda Pauel is of Dutch, Jamaican and Chinese descent. She is addressing a gathering of gay and lesbian members of i2i, which stands for Invisible to Invincible--a social-activist group for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered Asian-Pacific Americans.

Who’s Up for a March?

2009-10-09T15:53:00.000-07:00

This Sunday, hopefully thousands of Americans will march on Washington, D.C.’s Mall to raise awareness of the need for equal marriage rights for gay and lesbian men and women in the United States.

I’m sad to say that I won’t be there. I would have gone if I knew this was happening. I didn’t hear about it until two weeks ago. Two weeks? Is that enough time to book a flight and make arrangements to go to D.C. from the West Coast? Since my sister lives in D.C., I probably could have bunked out with her. But even before I knew this march was actually going to happen, I already committed to other plans for this Columbus Day weekend.

This is the problem with the organizing of what should be the National Equality March. I heard the proposal for the march last year when everyone was into marching the streets to protest Prop. 8. But then there were rumblings about when it should take place and who’s going to plan it. This grassroots effort was too grassroots, meaning it didn’t have any national structure to gather all the various LGBT efforts and then get the word out.

So who will show up this weekend? I know for sure the entire cast of Broadway’s “Hair” will be there, as I read in the New York Times that the producers will close the show for one day to let the actors participate in the march. I think that’s great, and it’s that spirit that will bring a positive feel to the march. There will probably be a lot of people on the East Coast who probably might drive down to D.C. for the march. But there will also be lots of people like myself, who will be there in spirit. Maybe the next march we’ll get more advanced notice.

Multi-Cultural Interviews in Windy City Times (Chicago)

2009-10-07T11:24:00.000-07:00

Numerous interviews focusing on cultural experiences within Chicago's gay community were published online at Windy City Times this week. Here's one excerpt:

Phillip Ozaki, 22, Filipino and Japanese-American:

"As if I didn't have enough identity struggle being both Japanese and Filipino, and American, to add the gay identity to it is just a huge struggle."

"The Japanese perspective is one of practicality. It's like, 'Why would you marry a gay person? You can't have kids.' In Japanese culture you're supposed to be very socialized and very like everybody else. It's very taboo and unknown and invalid to be a homosexual.

"But Japanese Americans have this long history of struggle and internment camps and especially civil rights. So I feel like they're more tolerant of other cultures especially the gay community because they understand that American culture can take away the rights of minorities just for being a certain identity.

"The Filipino perspective is very different. Gay means super flamboyant. They're really Catholic. The majority of gay Filipinos I've met are closeted to their parents, and identify as bisexual as a leeway to act like they're straight. In Filipino-American culture I'd say it's the same way: very closeted, very Catholic, very not discussed.

"It's as if no one really gets me, I think. Because I'm ethnic and because I'm a minority it's like this double minority. It's like I'm double silenced. The way I like to say it is: The more of a struggle you have the more you have to fight for."

Houston Wins ifCON 2011

2009-10-02T08:02:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to Houston for winning the honor of hosting ifCON 2011. Below are Houston organizers Bob and Sam accepting the honor. Chicago will be hosting next year in the form of a cruise to the Bahamas, while Denver won the honor for 2012.

Pageantry

2009-09-30T07:23:00.000-07:00

The ifCON banquet was an opportunity for attendees to get dressed up to the "Gone With the Wind" theme. Here, Ashley and Miss Pitty Pat are targets for the paparazzi. The set was for the "Gone With the Geisha" play that framed the talent show.

ifCON Reception Dinner

2009-09-28T04:54:00.001-07:00

The theme of the ifCON reception dinner was "Gone with the Wind." You can see a little bit of that flair in these photos:

ifCON Visit to Stone Mountain

2009-09-23T11:19:00.001-07:00

One of the most breathtaking parts of the ifCON series of events was our trip to Stone Mountain. Granted, it was a little KKK with the tribute to the fallen Southern generals, but the Atlanta organizers got us the primo terrace seating and the laser and fireworks show later was spectacular.

Workshops at ifCON 2009

2009-09-11T05:24:00.000-07:00

Attendees at ifCON 2009 in Atlanta over Labor Day also participated in different workshops, ranging from jazz dance to immigration issues. Here are some video snippets.

Jazz dance workshop.

Creative writing seminar.

Immigration discussion.

AFC at 25

2009-09-10T03:29:00.000-07:00

Taking a step back in time for a moment, Asians and Friends Chicago celebrated its 25th Anniversary year starting with its annual anniversary party a couple weeks back. Here's a couple of photos.

ifCON 2009 -- The Recap Begins

2009-09-08T04:40:00.000-07:00

After a full Labor Day Weekend of Asians and Friends and Long Yang Club's ifCON 2009in Atlanta, numerous photos and video clips documenting this year's event are now here and being sorted through. Just a taste of some of the memories are here ...

More to come through the month of September.

Atlanta Awaits

2009-09-01T07:24:00.000-07:00

The 2009 ifCON gathering in Atlanta is set for this weekend. Already people are getting into town for the events that formally start Thursday, Sept. 3. Events include visits to the Georgia Aquarium and Stone Mountain. The conference brings together members of Asians and Friends and Long Yang Club affiliates from across the United States and around the world. More reports and interviews to come from attendees at this annual Labor Day event.

Circumcision

2009-08-27T10:14:00.000-07:00

An article in the Chicago Tribune today talked about the emerging controversy over circumcisions--whether it's an issue of hygiene or mutilation.

When studies began pointing towards a link between AIDS transmission and circumcision, some health agencies began recommending the procedure rather than allowing families to decide based on religion or other personal reasons. The article says the jury is still out, although one study mentioned said circumcision may have nothing to do with preventing AIDS among men having anal sex with men.

A quick jaunt through the Internet suggests that circumcision is less prevalent in China vs. Japan or Korea. But in China, rates are growing as many consider the procedure "modern" and "Western." The topic is controversial to say the least ...

No Gay Southeast Asians in New York Parade

2009-08-20T08:15:00.001-07:00

New York: Grand Marshall Shilpa Shetty was cheered on, New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg stopped by for a few minutes, over 30 floats and several marchers including bagpipers from a Swaminarayan Temple in New Jersey made up the India Day Parade on Sunday.

But one group was denied the right to participate. And so the South Asian Lesbian and Gay Association or SALGA held its own protest march down midtown Manhattan.

LGBT activist in New York, Mario D'Penha says, "They just ignored SALGA's petition to march at the parade. We haven't heard of any other group that has been excluded from the parade and so we have to think there's some kind of homophobia that's at work here."

Organisers of the protest say it was particularly ironic that they were excluded from the parade in the Big Apple especially since in India, the Delhi High Court passed a landmark judgment decriminialising homosexuality.

LGBT activist in New York, Priyanka Mitra says, "Not only is it ironic but it's very sad that while India is beginning its first stage of accepting homosexuality, the immigrants and others from the Indian community here are rejecting us. It's sad that as India is progressing, we seem to be regressing."

The Federation of Indian Associations, the organisers of the India Day Parade, refused to be drawn into the controversy, declining to comment on why the Indian queer community was excluded from the parade.

Campit Pool at Saugatuck

2009-08-12T13:49:00.001-07:00

Part of Asians and Friends Chicago's trip to the Campit Resort in Saugatuck, Mich., included lounging by the pool. Some of that view from this past Sunday:

Saugatuck 2009

2009-08-11T00:48:00.000-07:00

Several members of Asians and Friends Chicago spent the weekend in Saugatuck, Mich., where there are several gay resorts. We joined the West Suburban Gay Association for their trek to Mardi Gras weekend at the Campit Resort.

Market Days: The Videos

2009-08-06T09:53:00.000-07:00

Market Days also provided quite a few visuals. Here's a couple of quick videos of the festivities in Chicago this past weekend.

Market Days: The Photos

2009-08-05T07:30:00.000-07:00

Every August, Chicago's Halsted Street merchants have a street fair called Market Days. It's one of the biggest street festivals all year, and since it's in the Boys' Town area of the city, it's quite gay. Here are some photos ... more video to come!

Here's one with Stephen from Project Runway, who we saw on the street.

Prep Pic for Hall of Fame

2009-08-03T10:58:00.000-07:00

After Dim Sum, Asians and Friends Chicago members pose for a photo that will accompany their application for Chicago's Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame.

Rebirth: Asian Pacific Islander Wellness Center (San Francisco)

2009-07-31T19:36:00.000-07:00

The Asian Pacific Islander Wellness Center in San Francisco has done a lot of good work over the years to raise awareness about HIV/AIDS in the community. Like many nonprofits, this past year has been difficult and challenging.

But now the group, leaner and meaner, is promoting a new look. It starts with a new logo representing a blooming flower to signify the rebirth of the group and a new video that gives people not familiar with its efforts an idea of what it does.

Gay Asian Youth Study Reveals Hardship

2009-07-30T07:55:00.000-07:00

This study was reported on by United Press International

Understanding The Process Of Homosexual Identity Formation Among Asian And Pacific Islander Youth

ScienceDaily (July 14, 2009) — Young American-raised Asian and Pacific Islanders (API), who are in the sexual minority, face psychological and social stresses in dealing with their families' values and ancestral cultures that significantly impact the development of their ethnic and sexual identities.
API teens and young adults identified as gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender face a different set of challenges than their western or Caucasian peers, which can lead to rejection from their families who emigrated to the U.S. and a stigmatization by the larger Asian community.
In a new study, Hyeouk Chris Hahm, Assistant Professor at the BU School of Social Work has developed a new intellectual framework for the development of positive ethnic/sexual identities among API gays and lesbian adolescents.
The process of homosexual identify formation among API youth, where the role of family life, personal sacrifice for family tranquility and generational clashes are central social stresses, is in addition to the external factors as racism, sexism and acculturation, that many Asian Americans face. This combination of ethnic and gender differences has led the BU researchers to develop a new model of identity formation for this group which also serves to increase understanding of the diversity of the "new gay teenager."
Their study is based on Hahm's earlier study, about 1,000 Asian American adolescents and young adults (18 to 27 years old), who said they were attracted to the same sex. This group struggled to both fit in with the prevailing American culture and also establish an authentic sexual identity that they knew was different from the norms of mainstream U.S. and their parents culture ( primarily from China, Japan and Korea).
"For instance, in South Korea, where male children have obligations to marry and create a traditional notion of family, homosexuality is considered a deviant behavior that brings family dishonor and shame," the study states, noting that this cultural barrier leaves this sexual minority with multiple oppressions and a sense of fear and inability to accept their sexual identity.
API women who are gay also face an Asian culture that requires them to stick to family values, marry men and have children or place shame on their families, neighbors and community. Researchers found that many Asian cultural norms render women invisible and silent. Thus these women compared to heterosexual API women and both heterosexual and homosexual API men had a higher prevalence of tobacco, binge drinking, marijuana and other drugs.
The reasons? The API women who were gay were less likely to adhere to traditional family-oriented gender roles, were unable or willing to gain or receive emotional support from their families and were likely to compete with men for masculine privileges so they could escape sexist oppression.
Often, the result for both young men and women is to mask homosexual behaviors and avoid alienating their family and parents' communities. In their relationships with others, they often have to decide which identity will take precedence: an ethnic or sexual identity.
"In the Western gay and lesbian community, 'coming out,' is final revelation that you are homosexual while for API in America of Korean descent, there is 'coming home,' where you want to integrate culturally and be both an American and Korean," said Professor Hahm. "This is not staying closeted but rather alluding to your sexuality to a family member, who may not challenge it, as long as the status quo within the family is maintained."
Over time, many manage the conflicts that arise from choosing one over the other and enter into a homosexual identity with many negative stereotypes and assumptions related to their ethnic identity. Still others sublimate their sexual identify and appear asexual until they are able to synthesize an identity that incorporates both ethnicity and sexuality.
The researchers developed an API sexual minority model that simultaneously explores sexual development and cultural identity development in four stages: initiation, primacy, conflict and identity synthesis. These are combined with the four strategies of acculturation – the process by which foreign-born individuals and their families learn to adopt the language, values, beliefs and behaviors of their new cultural environments. Those strategies are assimilation, integration, separation and marginalization. Together they set API sexual minorities apart from Western gays and lesbian community.
________________________________________
Journal reference:
1. Hyeouk Chris Hahm and Chris Adkins. A Model of Asian and Pacific Islander Sexual Minority Acculturation. Journal of LGBT Youth, 6:155-173, 2009
Adapted from materials provided by Boston University Medical Center, via EurekAlert!, a service of AAAS.

Dragon Boat Races - Chicago 2009

2009-07-25T13:22:00.000-07:00

Today our Asians and Friends Board had a meeting in Chinatown where they were having the Dragon Boat Races. Here's us watching the Illinois State Troopers easily win their heat.

Go Gosselin!

2009-07-24T05:32:00.000-07:00

We know Jon Gosselin is not gay--or at least his romps with women as reported in the tabloids seem to suggest that he's not only straight, but pleasing the ladies. The reality show father of eight who is now portrayed as a cheating spouse can give us Asian Americans a bad name. But the Asian male in America has been emasculated for so long, that it's refreshing to see in the mainstream media a man who is quite the opposite. Hopefully the message that Asian men are indeed potent will linger into the gay world.

Culture Isolates Gay Brothers

2009-07-20T07:32:00.000-07:00

This was posted on the New America Media in May, but the information is still relevant.

The Triple Minority: Asian, Gay and HIV Positive

New America Media, News Report, Viji Sundaram, Posted: May 20, 2009

SAN FRANCISCO – When Jane and Alexander Nakatani lost their three sons – two to AIDS, and one to a bullet – they knew they had to shed their “Asian” inhibitions. They realized that they needed to educate people about how “delicate” the psyche of immigrant children is, and that parenting them should not be taken lightly.

“Three months before Guy (their youngest son) died, he told me he was a triple minority,” an emotional Alexander Nakatani told a gathering at the Asian & Pacific Islander Wellness Center (APIWC). “He was Asian, gay and HIV positive.”

Nakatani admitted that the struggles his sons faced were in large part because none of them turned out to be the son he and his wife wanted.

Guy died in 1997 from complications stemming from AIDS, just four years after his older brother had died from the same disease. Guy was 27.

The Nakatanis were honored by the Asian & Pacific Islander Wellness Center for their efforts to transform their tragedy into hope, and to create public awareness about HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, in Asian American communities. The couple has embarked on a “mission” to share their story of tolerance, acceptance and healing.

Their story is told in the book and film, “Honor Thy Children,” which was screened at the center on Monday.

“It’s not a story simply about our family, but a story about children who grew up stigmatized and marginalized,” said Nakatani, after the screening of the powerful 90-minute documentary, during which his wife sat crying quietly. “It’s about how delicate and fragile children are.”

The disappointment and anger Guy and his brother Glen faced after coming out to their parents is typical of many Asian families, noted Lance Toma, executive director of the APIWC in San Francisco. The stigma that they face in their families and their communities may be one of the reasons many gay Asian Americans don’t get tested for HIV, Toma said, noting that AIDS diagnosis among Asian and Pacific Islanders is one of the highest among all minority communities. And among those diagnosed, young men having sex with men are the most impacted.

“We knew this could happen,” he said. “We are not getting tested.”

Honor Thy Children was made over the course of 12 years. It shows how the stern and emotionless older Nakatanis drove their two gay sons, Glen and Guy, into a cocoon of isolation by not accepting their sexual orientation.

“Maybe you’re not gay, Guy. A lot of young people experiment,” Alexander awkwardly told the young teenager, when he announced he was gay.

Unable to cope with his overbearing and unsympathetic parents, Glen left their California home when he was 15. Livid, Nakatani took down all the pictures of his first-born and declared, “I have no son.”

Later that night, Guy and his other brother, Greg, made a pact never to do anything to cause their parents pain.

It was probably this pact that kept the once playful, charming and affable Guy from telling his parents that he was raped when he was 15 by a male acquaintance twice his age. When Guy reached adulthood, he dated women, confiding to one of them that he was gay.

Meanwhile, after a short stint in the military, a very sick Glen returned to his parents’ home. He was diagnosed with full-blown AIDS. He died shortly afterward, with his parents lovingly at his side.

Four years later, Guy, weakened by AIDS, which had robbed him of vision in one eye and kept him in a wheelchair, died surrounded by his friends and family. He had spent the last three years of his life going from school to school in the San Francisco Bay Area advocating against casual sex.

Nakatani told the gathering Wednesday, "Know that there are those of us who cherish and love ‘diversity’ in its total and complete sense … and that there always will be voices that will speak for dignity, honor, acceptance and unconditional love for all children."  

May 19 marked the fifth annual National Asian & Pacific Islander HIV/AIDS Awareness Day.

Gay Asian Men Don't Like Black Guys

2009-07-14T07:56:00.001-07:00

Apparently, gay Asian men don't like black guys. This may not be universal, but a news report about a recent study on mixed-race dating puts black men on the bottom of their sexual-partner pool.

Though the study focused on black men, of the Asian men in the study, 74% were less likely to have had a black sexual partner, compared to white men, who were 34% less likely and Latinos, who were 65% less likely.

Here's more info about the study:

They asked 1,142 gay men about their own ethnicity and the number and ethnicity of their sexual partners in the previous six months. They also asked about the ethnicity of the men’s friends as well as their sexual partners, the preferred ethnicity of their sexual partners, the perceived ‘riskiness’ of men of different ethnicities in terms of their likelihood of passing on HIV, and whether they found it easy or difficult to meet partners of different ethnicities.

Of the sample, 56% were white, 21% Latino, 14% Asian and 9% black. The average number of partners in the previous six months was three, and this did not differ significantly between ethnic groups.

Call for Couples to be Spokespeople

2009-07-08T13:34:00.000-07:00

The ACLU sent the following message to Asians and Friends Chicago. The call might apply to other states. The contact information is provided below:

The ACLU’s LGBT Project is advocating for relationship recognition in Illinois, and we’re looking for gay and lesbian couples who would be willing to be spokespeople for why relationship recognition matters to their families.

I wanted to see if you could forward this message to folks at Asians and Friends Chicago to see if there are any couples who might be willing to work with us. I can be reached at 212.519.7835 and I am more than willing to talk to anyone who wants to learn more about this project.

Anna Letitia Mumford

Public Education Strategist

American Civil Liberties Union

Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender & AIDS Project

(212) 519-7835

amumford@aclu.org

Chicago Gay Pride 2009

2009-07-04T10:43:00.000-07:00

Last weekend was Chicago's Gay Pride Parade and Asians and Friends Chicago got several mentions in the media. One on local Channel 7 (about 25 mintues into the coverage) and another on Fox News (of all places). On Fox, they are about 2 minutes and 20 seconds in. "I'm a Queen, Get Me Out of Here" wasn't the most masculine of themes, but when the tide is rising, one has to set sail.

Below, Asians and Friends Chicago Board Pres. Angel Abcede gets interviewed by Fausto for OutTVWorld.com. Angel appears at the end of the segment.

Here are some photos!

Hot Nights in Shanghai

2009-06-30T16:25:00.001-07:00

In the weekend Travel section of the New York Times, they featured the emerging gay scene in Shanghai during Pride week. Who knew they had Pride celebrations in China? I'm really amazed that the Communists are allowing this to go on. And I'm just as amazed at how hunky that guy in the center looks! I'm booking my ticket to Shanghai tomorrow!

Photo above from the New York Times Web site. Read the full article here.

Atlanta ifCON Organizers

2009-06-25T07:58:00.000-07:00

The folks who are bringing ifCON together gathered to say hi to an Asians and Friends Chicago member. They met at Roxx, a gay-friendly restaurant. Eventually, everyone ended up at Birkhart's for a drag show.

Here's Angel from Chicago with Ron and Chai.

Bill is playing with Jeff.

Here's the Atlanta group. (Left to right) Ron, Chai, Charles, Bill and Jeff at Roxx.

Asian-American Theater Director Wins Award

2009-06-10T14:16:00.000-07:00

Six Californians Won $750,000 for Inspiring Work on Green Jobs, Substance Abuse, Literacy Programs, Asian American Theater, Youth Services and Community Revitalization

SACRAMENTO, Calif.--The James Irvine Foundation held a ceremony this month in Sacramento to announce and honor the recipients of the 2009 James Irvine Foundation Leadership Awards. Now in its fourth year, the awards celebrate extraordinary leaders who are advancing innovative and effective solutions to significant state issues. The awards are intended to publicize proven solutions that can inform policymaking and better the lives of more Californians.

One of the awardees, receiving $125,000, is Tim Dang, East West Players, Los Angeles.

The nation's oldest professional theater of color, East West Players has been the stage for major Asian American actors (Tony Award-winner B.D. Wong, Star Trek's George Takei and House's Kal Penn, among others). Under Dang's leadership, East West Players has also become a full-fledged regional theater and multicultural hub. Dang has expanded the public's understanding of "Asian American" by showcasing a wide range of Asian characters and cultures, as well as non-Asian artists. He has brought new playwrights and audiences (nearly half of whom are non-Asian) to the theater through his emerging playwrights contest, innovative new works and creative outreach strategies. Dang's influence extends well beyond his theater, with East West Players' school performances and workshops aimed at bridging the gap among students of different racial backgrounds.

Gay Asians Part of Marriage Fight

2009-06-02T06:52:00.000-07:00

Just in case you didn't think gay Asian men were a part of the fight to legalize gay marriages, here's Wade French and Brent Lok showing their invalid 2004 marriage license and their now valid one from 2008 in this New York Times photo.

Let It Be

2009-05-27T11:02:00.000-07:00

At a memorial for an Asians and Friends Board member, former Joel Hall Dancer Angel Abcede performed an improptu dance to The Beatle's "Let It Be."

Filipino Dinner

2009-05-24T02:17:00.000-07:00

Asians and Friends Chicago had a taste of the Phillippines last week as they dined at Little Quiapo on the city's northwest side. Among the dishes were the traditional "blood stew" and a popular oxtail peanut dish. Food is often a defining piece of culture and many experienced Filipino food for the first time.

Climbing the Drag Ladder

2009-05-12T03:45:00.000-07:00

Finding Asian faces in prominent roles in gay, mainstream productions is always a plus. More and more, we are asserting ourselves not just as visual elements of diversity, but as solid performers deserving of major roles. All these weighty words to compliment Ed, who performs as the Wicked Queen in Snow White and the Seven Drag Queens at Chicago's Hydrate night club. Congrats to a commanding performance.

Washington Gay Asians Celebrate Anniversary

2009-05-07T08:55:00.000-07:00

Here's news from the Washington (D.C.) Blade:

Asian gays mark milestone
Pride & Heritage celebrates 10th anniversary this weekend

May 01, 2009
By Amy Cavanaugh

One month before Capital Pride celebrations turn D.C. into a glittery rainbow, gay Asian Americans are coming together to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Pride & Heritage as part of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month in May.

Pride & Heritage is a coalition of four local groups for LGBT Asian/Pacific Islanders: API Queer Sisters, an organization for gay Asian and Pacific Islander women; API Queer United for Action, a group that predominantly caters to Asian men and works to promote advocacy, education, outreach and social events; KhushDC, a support, social and political group for gays who have ties to South Asia; and the National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum which is not LGBT but includes a lesbian, bisexual and transgender arm that addresses issues of importance to gay Asian-American women.

When the coalition formed 10 years ago, it was a chance for organizers to bring the API community together in discussions about sexuality and heritage.

“When we first started, it was always a challenge of invisibility,” Ben de Guzman of the Pride & Heritage committee says. “The first guest speaker at the first event was Helen Zia … who talked about how Asian/Pacific Islanders have always been missing in history.”

He says the community has dealt with “Asian Americans who would rather be in denial about the LGBT people in their communities or LGBT organizations who aren’t willing to look at what constitutes gay issues,” but now “in many ways I think we have moved past that. I think people are beginning to realize that all gay folks aren’t white and that all Asian people aren’t straight.”

Are Asians Cool?

2009-05-01T13:24:00.000-07:00

The bottom-tier sexual ranking of gay, Asian men comes from an unspoken hierarchy that faces all Asian men in mainstream America. The rant from this young Asian man speaks to the point.

Ron G. -- D.J.

2009-04-24T05:56:00.000-07:00

Ron G. is a D.J. in the Chicago area, having become a fixture at local clubs, retail venues and national festivals.

Grand Marshall Takei

2009-04-23T07:37:00.001-07:00

George Takei, the veteran actor best known for playing Mr. Sulu on TV's Star Trek, flashed a sign to the crowd during the 42nd annual Northern California Cherry Blossom Festival Parade that took place Sunday, April 19 in San Francisco's Japantown, according to the Bay Area Reporter. Takei, who came out as gay several years ago, served as grand marshal of the parade and rode with his husband, Brad Altman. They were followed by the Gay Asian Pacific Alliance contingent. The parade also included drummers, dancers, the Japanese ambassador and San Francisco consul, politicians, and the grand finale of the mikoshi, large casks of saki carried on their shoulders by dozens of burly men. (Photo by Rick Gerharter)

Gay Asian Currently On TV … Good or Bad?

2009-04-17T13:39:00.000-07:00

The recent posts about Asian stereotypes made me think about actor/comedian Alec Mapa’s character on the popular ABC show, “Ugly Betty.” The veteran out gay actor plays fashion journalist “Suzuki St. Clair.”

Need I say more?

Apparently I will. ;-) Mapa, who is Filipino-American, has delivered a character in full living color that has become a regular on the series (currently on a mid-season break). Few Asian actors have such a regular high-profile gig. (The only other Asian guy I can think of is Rex Lee, who plays Jeremy Piven’s gay assistant on HBO’s “Entourage.” But I don’t have HBO, so I don’t know if he’s still in that role.)

Mapa’s “Suzuki St. Clair,” not surprisingly, is flamboyant and gossipy, always looking for the dirt in the fashion industry. Mapa plays him with relish — all he’s missing is his feather boa.

To be fair, we all know people like Suzuki St. Clair in our community and we embrace them as the many colors in our rainbow-colored flag. But when we talk about breaking Asian gay stereotypes, Mapa’s dragon-lady-like performance doesn’t seem to break new ground.

When it comes to new views on gay images, I believe the gay characters on “Brothers and Sisters” raise the game with their portrayal of professional gay men trying to nurture a loving relationship in a dysfunctional family environment.

Mapa’s character on “Ugly Betty” doesn’t change any perceptions about gay Asian males. Ironically, in one storyline on the series we discovered that Suzuki St. Clair is actually a straight guy living in the suburbs with a wife and two kids. So he’s not even gay! And he plays gay just to be accepted in the fashion world. It’s a stereotype within a stereotype.

TV and movies continue to serve as the platform to both build or preserve stereotypes of gay Asian men in our society. Let’s hope that we see more variety and not more Suzuki St. Clairs.

Re-sexualizing the Asian Male

2009-04-15T02:37:00.000-07:00

Here are some thoughts from then (1998) Harvard grad student Joan Kee about the Asian male in America:

Asian American male sexuality has long entailed a discourse of nothingness. The Asian or Asian American male is perhaps best known for his absence in the colonizer's sexual hierarchy. This strikes a sharp contrast to the colonizer's perception of the Asian female as an embodiment of excessive sexuality. Asian American males have been consigned to positions of inferiority within the hierarchy -- the Asian male as sexually impotent voyeur or pervert is a reoccuring icon, appearing throughout American cultural history and especially in film. Notable examples of this include Mickey Rooney in "yellowface" as the bucktoothed Japanese landlord who sneaks peeps at Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961) or the pathetically asexual nerd Long Duk Dong in John Hughes' adolescent classic Sixteen Candles (1984).

Here are more of her thoughts on the themes involved in a work of art.

"Desexualized" is an apt term in this context as the colonizer has actively engaged in the process of emasculating or "demasculinizing" the Asian male. In Ken Chu's pastiche-like, mixed-media work I need some more hair products (1988), the artist denotes the yearning of the Asian male who applies hair spray in an attempt to become white. Transforming oneself into a white man is a prerequisite in securing a sexual partner, according to the arbitrary ideals of the colonizer, here represented as American mass media and popular culture.

Defining the Gay Asian

2009-04-04T12:24:00.000-07:00

Many of the themes that frustrate the gay Asian in America are explored in this short video from Australia. It's interesting how one of the "answers" to self love is making love to another Asian man. While I'm not sure it's THE answer, it at least poses an interesting question.

Here's the link: Gay Asian Documentary

The Sit-in Site

2009-04-03T04:30:00.000-07:00

On a business trip to Greensboro, N.C., I made my way to the Woolworth's where four African American students staged a "sit-in" in the 1960's to protest segregation. It's where the Civil Rights Movement started. While I can't own their fight, I personally share in the discussion about race in America.

What I do feel swept up in being a Filipino American is the larger need people of Asian-American descent have for making race a "non-issue." The need to "blend" into a mainstream America--one many of us perceive as a Caucasian America--is pervasive and compelling. As much as we rail against race as a factor in judging a person, we exercise it just as often.

Eastern Earnest

2009-03-30T07:09:00.000-07:00

Here's a bit of insight on a new version of "The Importance of Being Earnest," done by an all-Asian, all-male cast.

"The Importance of Being Earnest" re-interpreted
By Serene Ong, channelnewsasia.com

SINGAPORE: A revolutionary "W!ld" version of Oscar Wilde's "The Importance of Being Earnest", featuring an all-male cast, will be staged at the Drama Centre Theatre come March 25.

Credited as the gifted playwright's most widely performed play, the comedy of manners is cleverly constructed, replete with witty and deft repartees. Wilde – a somewhat social renegade in his day – ingeniously stripped the cloak of hypocrisy shrouding Victorian sensibilities with good natured droll humour, through an adventure of mixed identities.

In the play, Algernon Moncrief and his friend John Worthing both assume the name 'Ernest' to escape obligatory duties and to woo fair ladies, Gwendolen Fairfax and Cecily Cardew. But as with all deceptions, their deed is eventually exposed and in its place, an important truth is uncovered.

Much attention has been placed on the fact that all the characters in the W!ld Rice production will be played by men in men's clothes. Director Glen Goei said: "This is the first time in the history of the play that it will be staged in this manner, as far as I know. It would have been boring to do it any other way."

Similarly, some past productions have tried to steer away from the well-trodden path by spicing up the 1895 play in various ways. In 2003, New York's Aquila Theatre Company gave it a contemporary overhaul, transposing the setting from the Victorian times to the 1970s. The role of Lady Bracknell – mother of Gwendolen Fairfax – has also often been played by a male actor in drag.

Asked about his take on W!ld Rice's new interpretation, Brendon Fernandez, who will be seen in the performance as Algernon, said: "There is a lot in Wilde's writing about the roles men and women play. For example, my character Algernon has quite a lot to say about what he perceives as the fundamental differences between men and women, or how he believes men and women should behave towards each other.

"For me, the most interesting aspect of the all-male cast is that it forefronts the idea of Gender as Performance... How much of being a man or a woman is intrinsic in us? And how much is learned, adopted or forced upon us by the idea of what is 'normal' in society? I don't think we'll find the definitive answers to these questions, but it will be great to hear what people in the audience think!"

Gay Soldier Comes Out

2009-03-23T14:45:00.000-07:00

Speaking out on striking down the U.S. military's "Don't Ask Don't Tell" policy, National Guard Lt. Dan Choi--who represents a group called "Knight's Out"--speaks on Rachel Maddow's news show.

Pacific Overtures in Chicago

2009-03-20T08:01:00.000-07:00

Pacific Overtures, a musical with an all-Asian cast, is currently being mounted by a local theater group here in Chicago. The preview video is quite insightful. There are very few mainstream American musicals that feature Asian actors, so this will be interesting. It's a Sondheim piece about the opening of Japan to the West. Considering it's penned by white people, the perspective may be "old school," but it also puts the fire under the butts of Asian artists to continue to put out work from our own unique points of view.

Call for Entries: Queer Asian Art (Berkeley)

2009-03-16T13:22:00.000-07:00

What would the Queer Asian community be if we told our own stories? That's one of the questions hopefully addressed in the second annual Queer & Asian Conference at the University of California-Berkeley.

This year's event, scheduled for Saturday, May 2, has the theme "Articulation: Animating Our Collective Autobiography." It follows up last year's theme of "Storytelling."

As part of the event, there's a call for entries of art work by established and emerging artists who identify both as LGBTQQ and Asian Pacific American. The artwork will be displayed for one night at the event at UC-Berkeley.

Deadline is April 9. For more information, e-mail articulate.berkeley@gmail.com

What Do You Think?

2009-03-15T03:35:00.000-07:00

Many gay Asians have mixed feelings about seeing the extremes of our nature. For those who are uncomfortable, I'd suggest a "Where's Waldo" type game where Waldo is defined as "youthful fun and exhuberance." It's there, especially at the end.

Initiating a Recession Theme

2009-03-07T13:09:00.001-08:00

I'm not sure exactly how this line of thinking should go. I'm hoping to flesh through some thoughts about how Asians (in general, not necessarily gay ones) react to recessionary times. Like everyone else I suppose.

But growing up in Honolulu, a common stereotype was that Chinese were cheap. I'm not sure it's fair to say because I'm not sure why they were singled out. And at the same time (that I was in my teens), the Japanese were at the other end of the spectrum, buying up land in Waikiki. Lately, news that Chinese investors are taking tours of the U.S. to buy up real estate has made headlines.

I bring this up only to say that before we "go there" and begin what I recall to be a resentment of one Asian race by others of Asian descent for economic reasons, let's acknowledge that frugality is a universal rule. It's plain common sense. Unless you've already made your millions, everyone needs to watch their spending.

What I am curious about is starting a dialogue about how different Asian cultures view business, spending and saving. As people of Asian descent, we wear a business card on our faces that say to other Asians maybe you can trust us. I don't think I'm off base in saying that. My question would be how best to use that asset.

The discussion will continue...

Asian American Sexuality Seminar in Chicago

2009-03-03T13:33:00.000-08:00

The Center for the Study of Race,Culture,and Politics along with the Lesbian and Gay Studies Project of the Center for Gender Studies at the University of Chicago, in
collaboration with Amerasia Journal will be presenting a conference on:

Asian American Studies and Sexuality
Saturday March 7, 2009
Social Sciences 122
1126 E. 59th St.
Chicago IL 60637

Keynote Speakers: David Eng & Amy Sueyoshi

This conference will be free and open to the public.

For information, contact:

Andrew Walter
Events Coordinator
Lesbian & Gay Studies Project
Center for Gender Studies
University of Chicago
cawalter4@uchicago.edu
847.373.6694

Light the Way -- March 4

2009-02-27T22:26:00.001-08:00

This coming week is the most important one in the efforts to repeal Prop. 8, the ban against same-sex marriage in California. The state Supreme Court will hear arguments on Thursday, March 5. Let's all send positive vibes so that the justices will make the right decision based on equality and not out-dated morality.

A more visible way to send the vibes is a candlelight vigil and march scheduled for the night before, the national Eve of Justice Night. For events scheduled in your area, check the site here.

Malik G.: Silk Road Theater

2009-02-27T07:17:00.000-08:00

Malik G. is the executive director of Silk Road Theater, a company devoted to producing work from authors whose ethnicity reflects the countries along the famed Silk Road. These stretch from the Orient through to Italy. Malik recently won a fellowship from the Chicago Community Trust--a reflection of the excellence that is his mantra.