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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 21, 2000)
January 21 . 2 QQÛ t H ither : g*. O PORTLAND GAY MEN'S CHORUS ™ COMMONSENSE ¡G uide to K inky S ex Dr. G loria G . pram e. Fireside, 2000; |$J3 sof(cover. ¿ \ ''tll] “the relative scarcity of art by or about lesbians reflects male domination of the cultural record.” Saslow provides images of Perso-Median eighth century B.C. seals depicting two men copulating, as well Turkish, Chinese, European and American examples of art depicting overt homosexual themes. Accompanying the images are intelligent commen taries on contemporary cul tural influences and politi cal forces that helped shape the particular artwork. The first of its kind, this art history treatise is an important volume in the queer historical record. Through its study, we can appreciate the diver sity through the ages and open ourselves to our diversity today. This is not the last word on our visual and symbolic queer history, but the first. — LP his is not a leisurely, lazy Sunday kind of book. The playful clip art icons of whips, blind folds and handcuffs on Come Hither’s cover are certainly cute, but also quite deceiving. O nce you crack into the text, you’ll realize Dr. Gloria G . Brame is more about business than 1 a C o m m o n s « « . Gu.de ^ camp. In a self-described con fessional in the first chap ter, Introductory Kink, Brame reminisces about .VjSlCAL writing her first kink direc ^\\EA f£/j tory, Different Loving: The World o f Sexual Dominance and Submission. She says her goal in penning that book was to provide readers with a solid, factual source of SM information, an alternative to the flighty, B ar S tories confused writings of the Edited by Scott Brassert. past. Come Hither appears Alyson Publications, 2000; to be an extension of that $12.95 softcover. idea. The bulk of the book publishing exec who reads like an encyclopedia lives in Los Angeles, or a dictionary. Brame Scott Brassert has put includes a catalog of fetish together an anthology that es, a list of top torture toys comes off like a Ripley’s and techniques, and an Believe It or Not quip. Except that he’s telling you it’s all true. intense 15-page chapter called Erotic Pain, among many other areas of study. OK, the short works in Bar Stories are not all preposterous; some of them are rather bor The information is interesting, if a little dry ing in their believability. To be honest, most of (for a kinky sex book), and Brame seems a lit them fall somewhere in the middle: a little tle long-winded toward the end. Also, Brame exaggerated perhaps, but true enough. admittedly does not know much or care to Out of 32 stories in the collection, there’s a write about the lesbian SM experience. In a goodly number that contain explicit sex, but chapter called Sexual Dominants, she writes: “I far fewer than one might expect from gay men don’t feel it’s fair for me, coming from a hetero writing about their experiences in and around sexual experience of SM , to try to explore in bars. (Maybe gay male culture only appears to any depth what it is like to be a lesbian SMer be sex-obsessed after it’s filtered through mar or to advise lesbians on concerns particular only to lesbians. Authors such as Pat Califia ket research?) There are at least two heart-wrenching tales and Gayle Rubin have already done important of love lost, including Kevin Bentley’s “Do You work in this area, and should be considered pri Believe I Dive You?” and Gene Michael mary sources. Anything I’d say here could only Higney’s “Who Is Hansen Waiting For.7” (No, be a pale imitation of their incisive observa it’s not about the prepubescent boy band.) tions on the lesbian leather experience.” “One for the Road” by M. Christian, on the If you’re a lesbian, you might want to take other hand, is just plain depressing. the author’s advice. — Katy Davidson Mark Macdonald’s “No-Fun Club Kid Turns 30” is damn near incomprehensible; Ernest P ictures and P assions : A H istory of McLeod’s “Post-Communist Bar Trilogy” is way H omosexuality in the V isual A rts too long; and Blaise Bulot’s “Adventure at the By James M. Saslow. Viking, 1999. $3 9 .9 5 hard- cover. Phoenix” is kinda disgusting. And yet, this isn’t a bad anthology— the majority of the stories are satisfactory— it’s just rom the Stone Age to Stonewall, the devel that none of them really stand out. With one opment of material culture is, in part, exception: "Five Nights” by Ian-Andrew revealed through the art of its people, the McKenzie. The tale sticks out not so much myriad physical objects through which individ because it’s about an abusive relationship uals and societies symbolize and communicate (there are others in Bar Stories) but because it’s feelings and values. T he continuum of emo about cowboys. I don t usually go for the boots tions between people of the same sex, from ’n’ spurs scene, but it’s just about the only sce homosocial friendship to homoerotic intimacy nario that hasn’t been overdone to death in in genital passion, has provided charged subject various erotic fiction anthologies. Refreshing, matter for artists across the globe and through out history. even if a little peculiar. —Christopher D. Cuttone In Pictures and Passions: A History o f Homo r r COMB HITH«* F sexuality m the Visual Arts, James M. Saslow takes the reader, and viewer, on a gay-themed art history journey. T he subject matter is pre- ominantly male, and the author indicates that Just out 3 g ■ LAKE P er RIGUEY is a Portland attorney and culture maven. He can be reached at lakejameslaw@yahoo com . Presents ^ » IV - * • • ■».M illennium ;• \ • *‘ .'.M o s a ic & .N a k e d M a n ? j i i i • r . ■ Our 20th Anniversary Celebration Concert! The World Premiere of Millennium Mosaic! Based upon the life stories of Oregon's gay and lesbian youth, our newly commissioned song-cycle gives voice to their hopes, fears and dreams. Plus an encore presentation of the dramatic and impassioned NakedMan. Sat., April 15, 2000 • 8:00 p.m. Sun., April 16, 2000 • 7:00 p.m. PCC Sylvania Performing Arts Center, 12000 SW 49th Avenue, Portland N A T I ON A L ENDOW MENT Tickets $20/$15/$12 F A S 7 T X X 2 2 4 -T 1 X X FOB THE AR TS I« Financial Advisors R a g ion al A r t s A C u l t u r a C ou n ci l A m erican A irSn e s' Call for tickets 503.274.6588 Tickets also through Ticketmaster 503.790.ARTS Shovft your transfer at the box office and get a free ride home from Tri-Met! *\ w w w .p cs.o rg A classic American love stor J a n u a r y 15 — F E B R U A R Y 12, 2 0 0 0 GAL A* N i g h t J a n u a r y * 25 Gay and lesbian Audience series 1 K«*\ lia nk iu S t n T n l J i he Mark S|i«*nr«T Mon i N MERRILL CORPORATION AmericanAirlines
