In Celebration of GAY USA

Dear Friends,

With all the hatred swirling around us—homophobia, anti-Semitism, racism, and other forms of bigotry—we need all the information we can get to keep ourselves safe.  The current state of mainstream public media sources adds to the confusion and fear.  All of that came to mind this week when I realized I hadn’t checked in with Gay USA lately (gayusatv.org).

I did a little homework to check my facts.  I knew that journalist/activist Andy Humm started reporting the news on Lou Maletta’s Gay Cable Network in the mid-1980s.  I learned that journalist/activist Ann Northrup joined Andy as co-host of Gay USA in 1996.  That made sense to me, because that was the period of time—the mid-1990s—when I used to show up for events.

I’ve never been an activist, but I would turn up for the occasional Marriage Equality rally or AIDS awareness event; the June Pride Parade, of course; Leather Pride, every year, camera in hand.  Ann and Andy were always very much in evidence (though not for Leather, as I remember).

I always found them both to be approachable and quite charming, despite their roles as fierce advocates.  Charm comes easily to Ann, I think.  Andy seems to have carefully constructed a grumpy and priggish persona, but I always suspected he’s a teddy bear at heart.  Sorry, Andy, if I’m blowing your cover.  I’ll send you some more of my books, in the hope that will soothe the sting.

So, Ann Northrup and Andy Humm have been getting into good trouble for decades now, to keep us informed about all things LGBTQ+.  They jump right into the headlines, they explore the small local stories the big networks miss, and they tell us what’s happening all over the world.  Watching Gay USA makes me feel exactly as I feel when I’m out of the country and something big happens in the USA.  I mean, I get a perspective I never get from the usual sources.

If you’re not a Gay USA viewer (or listener—there’s an audio podcast version, too) then you owe it to yourself to fix that.  I’m just saying.  Knowledge is power!  I’ll give you a publishing update next week.

Thanks for your support.
Bruce