Ill-Lustrous

As seen in the 1902 book Vaught's Practical Character Reader, a historical publication that used phrenology and physiognomy to claim that human personality traits can be determined by physical features like hair -- which admittedly can be divisive.

Gloria Steinem, Feminist Icon, Dies at 92

 

These "ends of an era" sure seem to be coming fast and furious(ly) these days.

There has never been a time in my life when this woman's name wasn't synonymous with equality and women's lib -- how many times did Archie Bunker invoke her in a fit of disgust? -- so this loss stings. We were lucky to have her, a true original about whom my former New York Times boss said: "I grew aware of my value as a woman before I was one, because of Gloria Steinem and people like her. She showed us what we could do if we insisted. I'm grateful."

My pal Tim Murphy shared a sweet story about a brief encounter with the Ms. Magazine legend, which I think you will also enjoy as much as I did.

May she rest in power.

He writes:

In 2016, I was a reader at the book festival Sean Strub started in Milford PA when he was mayor there. The festival was centered at the hotel Sean owned at the time, and when I came down to the hotel dining room, there was Sean with a small table of people including Gloria Steinem, then 82, who was a marquee guest at the festival. So I ended up sitting next to her and telling her it was an honor to meet her. Then her friend said, "Gloria, your session starts in 5 minutes." Ms. Steinem said: "I've barely touched my omelette," so I -- who was starving and hadn't ordered food yet -- offered to eat it. She said, "Good -- my mother always said it's wrong to waste food."

That's a fun story but it doesn't convey how remarkable I thought she was. Particularly as a journalist all my life, I admired her especially for her smart, funny (and far more progressive/intersectional than her colleagues') columns for New York magazine in its earliest Nixon-era years. And as someone who has mainly been an HIV/AIDS and LGBTQ advocacy journalist my whole life, I always admired how Ms. did muscular advocacy journalism in such a fun and compelling package. Certainly it paved the way for many such future mags including POZ, which Sean started. 

I hope that, in her final days and hours, Ms. Steinem was suffused with a strong sense of the remarkable, courageous, moral, well-lived life that she lived.

On the Rag, Vol. 923

 

This week's rag 'n' mag roundup features Jack Innanen, Vlad Parker, Babymorocco, Dolly Parton, Nicolas King, Graham Campbell and more BELOW.

Remains of the Day (09/02)

Newsweek: More than half of NFL teams now have male cheerleaders, but their growing presence is still drawing plenty of online hate ... my favorite is HERE!

Gayety: Hate crime probe opened after two killed outside Tucson gay bar by suspect with a list of LGBTQ businesses, police say

Greg in Hollywood: Sexpot Tuc Watkins turns the big 6-0!

WW: Pat Cash, former Wimbledon champ, engaged to singer at 61 years old

Wrestle Wednesday: F**k, marry, kill?

KIT212: The mysterious hot-tub drowning of 26-year-old champion skier Holden Parazette has left his family demanding answers

ABC7: Serial butt-sniffer arrested again in Glendale

Book Riot: September brings a bumper crop of new LGBTQ books, including Marlon James’s tale of gay men in 1980s Jamaica, a Palestinian love story(!), a trans “Hamlet” retelling and a spin on “Frankenstein”

Washington Blade: I'd let this guy count the change in my pocket

Instinct: Jack Innanen missed "Heated Rivalry" season 2, but he will “show hole” ... his show "Adults" is the probably the funniest thing on TV

WaPo: Twenty years after Robert Wone’s notorious D.C. killing, a new dispute has emerged involving the gay throuple long considered the case’s main suspects

West Side Rag: Matthew Futterman shares his tips for navigating the U.S. Open, his picks to win it all and a young player he thinks could be the sport’s next big star

NYP: Inside the U.S. Open players’ private dining room, where 30 chefs serve up everything from homemade pesto and sashimi to vegan shakes to fuel the stars on court

DNA: Alan Carr’s ex-husband turned the tables on a Grindr blackmailer threatening to leak his intimate photos, telling the extortionist to go ahead and post them

IG: Mary Beth Barone has advice for queers who own businesses

Hot Cat of the Day: Kyle Chandler and the cutest paper boy ever! 

Gal pals: How embarrassing -- does this still go on in the world? lol

Pre-order: Red Hot is turning up the heat for 2027 with a new calendar featuring 12 months of stunning ginger men photographed by a different male fine-art photographer each month

Queens for a Day

Just home from nearly 12 hours of rain-soaked action at the U.S. Open. I'll post more when I have time to go through my photos, but for now it's time to dry out!

 

Tennis Tuesday

 

More from CourtClub's winning campaign BELOW.