We had to double check the date on this calendar from CreateSpace, titled “I’m Not Gay: I’m Just A Sissy.” For a minute we thought it was from 1985—you know, when teen boys were reciting their favorite racist one-liners from Blanche Knott’s Truly Tasteless Jokes.
But nope, the calendar, subtitled “Twelve months of sexual confusion” is for 2012. Created by the droll mind of Joe King (get it, even his name is a joke!), it features a dozen gay-baiting political cartoons that aren’t just offensive—they’re not funny (which is much, much worse).
Its hard to believe that King was actually nominated for a Pulitzer Prize back in 2004 for his work as an editorial cartoonist with the Santa Monica Daily Press. Or so he claims.
Speaking of King’s claims, he defended his calendar on Facebook:
How about we take this to the next level?
Our newsletter is like a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.
Hoo-we! Hell hath no fury like a he/she scorned… The telephone tree of tantrums is lit up like a Las Vegas marquee for “Boy-Lesque” today with hate mail, threats of boycott and even the risk of Jesus spitting on me for my “Sissy” calendar. I SAID I WAS A SISSY UP FRONT. Ironic who the real bullies are isn’t it? Let’s see if I get a call from Oprah’s people or even Anderson Cooper…
Doesn’t King know Oprah went off the air? Or maybe they don’t get reception in the spider cave he’s living in. The self-proclaimed Christian cartoonist goes on to give his oh-so-informed opinion about AIDS:
The “truth” is that AIDS is an “elective” disease. It STOPS the day guys quit sticking it to each other. And for the tragedy of women and children infected— THAT stops the day their gay husbands and fathers stop cheating on them.
Anyone need MORE education, science or funding to understand THAT?
We’re not surprised such offensive, poorly-illustrated crap is on the market—NASCAR fans have to buy Christmas presents for their mothers, after all—but we were stunned to see its being sold online by Barnes & Noble and Amazon.
Given the recent shuttering of a major bookseller chain, we’d think at least B&N would be a smarter about alienating the gays. We are literary tastemakers after all.
If you want to give either outlet a piece of your mind, email Barnes & Noble at [email protected] and Amazon at [email protected].
Source: Back2Stonewall
ChrisM
What a piece of garbage. And I’m talking about Joe King.
Sadly, if the mainstream media picks up on this before Amazon and Barnes and Noble remove it from their shelves it may never leave. You know all the anti-gay bigots will be rushing to buy their copy as soon as they find out about it.
Jacob Florez
This is absolutely horrendous. He even takes it further and calls us the real bullies. It’s not bullying when the other guy takes the first swing! This man is crazy and needs to be institutionalized! He’s also giving a very bad name to the straight Christian people who are actually accepting of everyone. It’s one thing to say something in private or bash us with your words, but this tops everything. This single minded dumbass decided to draw it and publicly sell it so that everyone in the world can see his prejudism.
ChrisM
Good news is, I just emailed B&N and Amazon. B&N gave an automatic response right away, saying that they were receiving an unusually high volume of emails. There was a link to chat with an agent in real time, with the current time listed in one of the best windows to contact them. That service was down, as well. Seems like the point is being made by many people!
Everyone should continue to email them (with thoughtful, respectful, but blunt emails) and maybe they’ll start to get it.
ChrisC
I just emailed Amazon, hope they take this piece of trash down. Hopefully soon cause I was about to order some stuff on there. Homophobia is such a drag.
Cam
I’m so tired of the phony narrative that all the bigots come out with.. “Ironic who the real bullies are isn’t it?”
____________________
Lets see, we complain that somebody is being anti-gay but WE’re the Bullies. What a cop out.
So if he did a similar calander steeped in stereotypes such as, I’m not “Insert racial minority” I’m just lazy, or I’m just a thief, etc… I guess that the NAACP or La Raza would be bullies for complaining?
DBG
Lol.
You poke fun, make cheap jokes, and generally are a bunch of cunts to everyone and everything you dislike, and then are the first ones to be outraged — OUTRAGED, I TELL YOU!!! — when it’s your turn to be on the (ahem) receiving end.
Turnabout is fair play, bitches.
jason
Joe King is partly correct about AIDS being elective. However, he’s mistaken when he refers to it as a disease. AIDS is a syndrome, not a disease. There is a massive difference between a syndrome and a disease, and it’s important that you all understand this.
Also, AIDS is not caused by anal sex, as Joe King suggests. AIDS is caused by a destruction of the body’s immune system through activity which causes this destruction, particularly promiscuity and a poor all-round lifestyle.
Matthew Rettenmund
Even more offensive—a gay AIDS denialist has to chime in. Ugh. Because all the people with AIDS got it from not exercising and eating right while having too much sex instead of from being exposed to HIV.
Cam
@DBG:
So them by that logic, women shouldn’t have complained about being treated badly back in the 1950’s because they all got together occasionally and complained about men? Or that blacks shouldn’t have fought for equality because they may have complained about whites?
Did you actually read that before you clicked “Submit”?
Rex
B&N pulled it!
Kevin
I’ll bet this is the same talentless asshole “artist” who draws those bigoted cards depicting the Irish as drunks around St Patrick’s Day. Let’s see this prick try to make offensive jokes about Jews or the holocaust and then sell them at Barnes & Noble. He’d be fired faster than you could say “Happy Chanaukah”.
Hyhybt
So… what’s the point of linking to an image file containing the cartoons in question if it’s unreadable?
ChrisM
The email address given for Amazon is not correct. Please search for Amazon.com customer service and follow their (stupid) procedure for submitting a complaint via their website.
LJC
Please… won’t someone think of the children?!
You can still get it on his website, kids. Cheap too – 8 bucks.
ChrisM
@LJC: (aka DBG)
You’re missing the point. We know Joe King is a douchebag, who cares if the loser sells his junk on his own website. We don’t want reputable companies like B&N and Amazon peddling his garbage.
ljc
@ChrisM:
Have you actually seen the cartoons inside the calendar that are apparently so offensive?
ChrisM
@ljc: Yes, if you go to amazon’s ebook version, Amazon Prime members can read through it for free. They’re not funny, they’re all just “jokes” to disparage gay people.
By the way, what is your point? You’ve gone from saying that the bullies become the bullied, to now denying that the cartoons are even offensive. Will you pick a consistent viewpoint other than “contrary to the gays”?
LJC
@ChrisM:
Just curious to know if the people registering complaints have actually viewed them. I’m not a Prime member so I couldn’t see them to even say I think they’re offensive. Or whether they’re funny or not.
Mike in Asheville
@jason: EXTRA EXTRA, READ ALL ABOUT IT: MORON LECTURES IDIOT!
syn·drome (s n dr m) n. 1. A group of symptoms that collectively indicate or characterize a disease, psychological disorder, or other abnormal condition.
You are so full of shit, jason, just like Joe King — two fucking morons perpetuating stupid. FYI, shithead, there has not been a single case of an AIDS death where the patient did not have the HIV. Joe King is a homophobic bigot; what’s your excuse jason?
Will
UPDATE – Barnes & Nobel’s Pulls “I’m Not Gay Just A Sissy” Calendar From Website – http://www.back2stonewall.com/2011/12/victory-barnes-nobels-pulls-im-gay-sissy-calendar-website.html
lohen
what an ass hat…
ChrisM
Amazon.com Corporate Offices: (206) 622-2335? (CEO Jeff Bezos)
Amazon.com Public Relations: (206) 266-7180
Amazon.com Customer Service: (206) 266-2335
Ogre Magi
Typical christian crap
Esculapio Mitiríades Torquemada de la Cueva
If by “we” you mean the staff at Queerty, then no, you are not literary tastemakers. You, gentlemen, are barely literate.
Rabidtreewease
Hey Jason, don’t look now but you already said that, word for ill-conceived word, on Towleroad.