January 26

Hi, It’s a new year, and it's off to a bumpy start for me... but...

Broke Back Mountain... Ang Lee getting the nod at the Golden Globes... Leno talks about it during the monologs... BBM wins awards! Everyone goes to see it. The "gay" cowboy movie... wow! Things do change!

Yesterday, I was reviewing a submission being written to support my being nominated as special volunteer for the LASD in 2006. I was asked to give some background to my years with the station and what I have done with the Sheriff Department. I ran across some evaluations done by the recruits when I did Gay and Lesbian Training at the Sheriff Academy 15 years ago. While my sessions got many good and positive reviews, I also got responses from the recruits like, "It was repulsive to see gay men being happy, talking with us, wasting our tax dollars, and not repentant", "While I feel very uncomfortable with their lifestyle, as a professional law enforcement person I would treat them with professional demeanor." From reviews when I did some guest lecturing at Santa Monica College around the same time, "When you were here last week for the first half of your sessions with us, I had to go home and throw up", "Watching a ‘gay’ man talk in front of my class, joking and happy, makes me feel like I have to run home and take a shower, you are dirty and sick."

And 15 years later, in West Hollywood we have deputies happy to be assigned to the city and its annual Halloween Party and other activities. We also have many openly Gay and Lesbian Deputies who walk in the annual Pride Parade, along with some CHP, LAPD and surrounding PD officers, last year we even had a proud Border Patrol dude walk with us, head high and proud in full uniform.

It’s nice to have Gay Sensitivity Training now have become just ‘ho-hum’ status. On January 28th, at 4:44 a.m., it will be 13 years since my partner died. One of his big outings when he was pretty sick was the infamous AB101 protest marches when the governor vetoed a promised anti-discrimination bill that affected gay and lesbians in the work place, and thousands took to the streets for about a week to protest and show their outrage. I was participating as a member of the gay community and also community liaison for the Sheriff Department helping to prevent miscues between the law enforcement and the marchers. Coordinating the closing of the roads, and clearing the way for the marchers, while still protecting the safety of the citizens. One memorable moment in the unpredictable marches was the night, the group started in West Hollywood then headed up to Sunset and went East eventually to the Hollywood Bowl in LAPD territory. After much negotiation and lots of calls in to tell them what was happening, as we walked on Sunset from LASD territory in the LAPD, the LAPD cars were blocking the street, riot gear equipped. With much effort from our LASD team, probably for a first ever time, the LAPD cars backed into the side streets on Sunset and allowed the marchers to walk right along. No tear gas, clubbing or prodding, just some respect and traffic support was we walked to the Bowl. A milestone.

Ross was not yet 30, sick, frail, and partly blind, living with AIDS, but he rode along with me on the marches when he could. He would be - and I hope wherever he is now - proud of the changes that he helped bring about too. Its nice to be part of change, positive change. Bringing about new understanding, making a legacy.

Things evolve... sometimes slowly. And taking the time to look back isn’t bad. Broke Back Mountain... hmmm, except for idiots like Pat Robertson who tries to be an equal opportunity offender, and proving the donkey’s butt that he... has been seen as a movie, just a damn movie... not a political statement, not a protest, not a sales pitch for being gay... just a damn movie... with a twist... nice.

I was at the taping of the ‘puppy episode’ of the Ellen Show sitcom, the coming out episode. I had been to most of her shows that year and the year before and I was anticipating the announcement. It was Big News then. 3 years ago, when she started her wonderfully successful daytime talk show, I was at taping of that first show. After the taping was done, and the cameras stopped rolling, there was a pause, then some emotional comments from her to the audience, and to the folks who had been there through all the trials and tribulations. What she was able to express through her closing words was, "we’ve made it, the new show was there because of her talent, of her energy, and not as a political statement." ... to be able to be just another person, not pushing an agenda, not offering a ‘toaster oven’ to the next one to sign up as gay, but just being the talented best person one can be.

Broke Back Mountain, a sensitive story, not a freak show... Ross would be proud, and I hope he is wherever... I am.
dr. g.