Well, reader - I don't know how to tell you this, so I'll just come out and do it: today's my last day as Queerty's head homo.

Yes, after over two years, I'm moving on to other virtual pastures. Before I go, however, I must say it's been a pleasure writing this site everyday. Okay, it wasn't always a pleasure, but I can honestly say it's been a trip. We've had some ups, some downs, a lot of laughs, a few tears and other emotions that I'm assuming we've all experienced.

If you want to find me - and I hope you do! - head on over to wowOwow.com, where I'll be chugging away as the new managing editor.

As for Queerty - a swell new editor will be introduced on Monday, but you'll have to wait until then for the big reveal. Trust I wouldn't leave you in incapable hands.

I'm sure I'll be seeing you - have a few more tricks up my sleeve, if you will, and promise to write lots of love letters. Who knows? Some of them may be dirty…

xo,
AB

PS: Julie Andrews and those von Trapp brats say it best - after the jump…

CONTINUED »

For all the jokes about President Bush being borderline brain dead that have been made in the last eight years, you would think that the man would leave well enough alone once he left the White House and stopped being the world's chief source of ridicule.

But no. Our 43rd commander-in-chief wants to publish his memoirs as soon as he gets out of office, despite the fact that no one is buying books in this bad economy, and no one wants to buy a book written by the guy who gave us this bad economy. So that's a double neg.

CONTINUED »

British gay group Stonewall may have egg on its face this Thursday when trans activists protest the organization's eponymous awards at the V&A Museum.

Activists are annoyed over the group's nomination of lesbian journalist Julie Bindel, who, in 2004, wrote an article in which she pitted her feminism against trans rights.

CONTINUED »

The year's drawing to a close, which means it's time for gay glossy Out to celebrate 100 homo movers-and-shakers who made 2008 so damn great!

The journos over there are slowly leaking some of their honorees, including Rachel Maddow, who tops the list. And with good reason - Maddow's catapulted to fame as a pundit over at MSNBC, which in turn gave her a prime time slot. Well done, Maddow.

Activist Evan Wolfson and NPR correspondent Ari Shapiro also made the cut, as did film makers Jarvez Sharma and Tom Kalin. You can see a few more of the honorees over at the mag's website.

Also, the Out team just sent out a press release informing us - and thereby the world - that comedienne Chelsea Handler will be hosting their annual Out 100 gala at Gotham Hall.

[Maddow shot by Roger Erickson, others by Greg Lotus]

Homos better find themselves a new travel rag. We're hearing that Regent Media cut the cord on The Out Traveler. Anyone know something? Want to tell something.

Holla!

The Los Angeles Times doesn't mince words when it comes to Proposition 8, which it strongly opposed in an editorial this weekend. Describing the ballot measure's intentions as terrible, the paper also takes time to rip into the "Yes on 8" campaign's misleading tactics, like their repeated assertions that same-sex education will infiltrate public schools.

Clever magicians practice the art of misdirection — distracting the eyes of the audience to something attention-grabbing but irrelevant so that no one notices what the magician is really doing. Look over at that fuchsia scarf, up this sleeve, at anything besides the actual trick.

The campaign promoting Proposition 8, which proposes to amend the state Constitution to ban same-sex marriages, has masterfully misdirected its audience, California voters.
…
Look at anything except what Proposition 8 is actually about: a group of people who are trying to impose on the state their belief that homosexuality is immoral and that gays and lesbians are not entitled to be treated equally under the law.

That truth would never sell in tolerant, live-and-let-live California, and so it has been hidden behind a series of misleading half-truths. Once the sleight of hand is revealed, though, the campaign's illusions fall away.

Here's to hoping California's voters can see through Yes on 8's cloud of bull shit.

Barack Obama's walking a fine, gay line.

The Democratic Presidential candidate appeared on MTV this weekend to come out against California's Proposition 8, which would overturn gay marriage in the Golden State. At the same time, however, Obama reiterated his belief that marriage is between a man and a woman. Said the Senator from Illinois:

I've stated my opposition to this. I think [Prop 8 is] unnecessary. I believe marriage is between a man and a woman. I am not in favor of gay marriage. But when you start playing around with constitutions, just to prohibit somebody who cares about another person, it just seems to me that's not what America's about. Usually, our constitutions expand liberties, they don't contract them.

On a related note, the New York Times this Saturday ran an article highlighting the differences between Obama and rival John McCain's same-sex marriage opposition. While Obama's motivated more by religious elements, McCain's a victim of his time. Writes homo-journo Patrick Healy:

As a Christian — he is a member of the United Church of Christ — Mr. Obama believes that marriage is a sacred union, a blessing from God, and one that is intended for a man and a woman exclusively, according to these supporters and Obama campaign advisers. While he does not favor laws that ban same-sex marriage, and has said he is “open to the possibility” that his views may be “misguided,” he does not support it and is not inclined to fight for it, his advisers say.

Senator John McCain also opposes same-sex marriage, but unlike Mr. Obama’s, his position is influenced by generational and cultural experiences rather than a religious conviction, McCain advisers say.

What's interesting, we think, is that Obama consistently frames his support opposition of Proposition 8 in terms of constitutionality, rather than whether or not gay marriage is right - a tactic that's quite popular among the center and conservative set. That helps explain Obama's later comments in which he says he believes in strong civil unions that provide marital rights, like hospital visitations. That believe, he insists, provides a great example of his style of governance:

If they've got benefits, they can make sure those benefits apply to their partners. I think that's the direction we need to go in. I think young people are ahead of the curve on this for the most part. Their attitude, generally, is that we should be respectful of all people, and that's the kind of politics I want to practice.

Watch the MTV Prop 8 video after the jump…

CONTINUED »

Homo-journo Billy Norwich has been palling around with ladies!

No, the style guru hasn't gone straight - he's been anonymously writing for the estrogen-heavy website, wowOwow.

For months Norwich has been penning columns as the "Etceterist," but today, Halloween of all days, he's decided to take off the mask and explain himself, like why he's been calling himself the Etceterist:

This is a site with such gravitas and serious intent, so adding commentary and news about style matters, the fluffy vainglorious concerns about food, clothing and shelter — as opposed to the need for them — we had better make it clear to our readers that we know, that they know … this is the lighter side of life, the etcetera. Hence The Etceterist.

Leave it to the lavender set to highlight the "lighter side." Now, where are our loafers?