Remains of the Day (07/18)

Getting In: Relive the 1990s NYC gay scene with this sexy new book featuring 230 nightclub flyers

Metal Hammer: “In those days, you didn’t talk about those kind of things”: Rob Halford's reaction to becoming metal’s first gay icon

Twitter: In last 8 seasons, 16 women have won a 1st Slam singles title -- in same period, just 3 men

Socialite Life: Rugby champ Ben Cohen brings his winning ways to the small screen in 'Patterns'

Vimeo: Check out the trailer for the documentary about my childhood friend: 'Scooter LaForge, A Life of Art'

Out: Five times 'Spiderman' actors played gay

SWC: Gina Schock, drummer for the Go-Go's, on House of Schock EP and 'sixth Go-Go' Drew Barrymore

Washington Blade: Rufus Gifford steps down as State Department’s chief of protocol

HBO: I have mixed feelings about "The Stroll," a new documentary on Max that "tells the history of New York's Meatpacking District from the perspective of transgender sex workers who lived and worked there." The footage and interviews are riveting  -- I moved to NYC during this era's heyday and used to frequent bars in the area, including Hell and the Lure, so ate up all the old clips -- yet for a film that won a special jury prize for clarity of vision at Sundance, its point is deeply muddled. Given the lack of employment opportunities for trans people, it's a fact that many turn to sex work to survive. But the film seems to spend an inordinate amount of time harping on the notion that T people haven't been given their due from the LGB community -- specifically white lesbian, gay and bisexual people -- while largely ignoring who the real villains are here. 

Lesbian, gay and bisexual people (white or otherwise) aren't the ones who criminalized prostitution. Lesbian, gay and bisexual people aren't the ones who passed so-called "walking while trans" laws, making trans people's lives miserable. Lesbian, gay and bisexual people aren't the ones murdering trans women of color. And above all else, it isn't lesbian, gay and bisexual people who are throwing their trans children of color out on the street just for being who they are. Many of the gals interviewed were very endearing, making the film highly watchable. But it was equally frustrating feeling like no one in the room ever seemed to recognize what the real problems are. (Where was the PFLAG outreach to communities of color? Where was the focus on legalizing sex work the way others pushed to decriminalize marijuana? Muscular white guys on a Pride float aren't what's making trans people's lives more difficult than they need to be.) 

Instead, the residents of the West Village who objected to people having sex outside their apartments are almost made out to be as problematic as the cops raping sex workers in exchange for not arresting them. (I'm sorry, but there's nothing wrong with not wanting to see someone getting sucked off in a car when you're just trying to go to the corner to buy a quart of milk.) While well-meaning, the film's message is all over the map and confusing. Seeing some of the women watch and then try to judge RuPaul's lightweight visit to the hooking area back in the day on a campy cable access TV show through a 2023 lens only reiterated my ambivalence.

The Randy Report: Experimental Alzheimer's drug shows early promise

HuffPost: A gay teen fumbles toward self-acceptance on a summer camping trip in Corey Sherman's indie film, 'Big Boys,' which hits Outfest Los Angeles on July 22

NYP: What color do you see when you look at his prison jumpsuit? 

Hot Cat of the Day: Reach out and touch somebody's paw ...