Everyone knows the power of film. One need only look at all of the (mostly) positive attention Brokeback Mountain has been giving the gay community. We’d hate to think that the only reason so much attention the media has been giving transgenders lately is due to something other than a certain Desperate Housewife donning a wig and some make-up to play a pre-op in TransAmerica. But, alas, movies are great attention-getters.

Sure we knew that trannies faced discrimination in the world, but we weren’t aware that these hard-working men and women find it hard to just get a job with the man.

Marilyn Robinson turned tricks for almost 20 years before she decided to look for legal employment. She got her GED and, eventually, a job at an insurance company. The first six months went OK, but then a supervisor "thought he had the right to call me RuPaul," she told us. "And I look nothing like RuPaul." Suddenly the women in the office refused to use the bathroom if Robinson was around. She left within a month.

And you thought your 9-5er was bad. Some trannies can’t even get their uppity co-workers to share a bathroom let alone a printer.

Transjobless [San Francisco Bay Guardian]

We popped on to iTunes today and were given a wonderful surprise. Dolly Parton’s Oscar nominated song “Travelin' Thru” is available as a free download. It is sassy and uplifting and it just made our morning.

Pop over to iTunes and get it. Also, check out Transamerica if you haven’t. And don’t miss Dolly performing “Travelin' Thru” Sunday night. Her gown is sure to be as over the top as her persona.

• Brits love Brokeback Mountain (and Jake Gyllenhaal) just as much as their neighbors across the pond. [Zap2it]

• The country's largest Catholic university is offering a minor in queer studies. This can only be considered progress if the required classroom textbook is not the Bible. [Newsweek]

• New Jersey doesn't define marriage as strictly between a man and a woman. That means gay marriage may already be legal in that state. [NJ.com]

• Trannies are the new gay cowboys. [The Wichita Eagle]

• RIP Professor Dorius, a man who was run out of town by a bunch of old ditties just for looking at a few pretty pictures. [SF Gate]

• Dolly Parton was nominated for an Oscar for Original Song and we cannot wait to see what she wears to the ceremony. [Oscar.com]

• Theater queens all over the world are gasping: Evita is coming back. [BBC]

• Survivor Gaydar™ is something The Malcontent seems to have. They’re all too butch for us to make any assumptions. [The Malcontent]

• It’s not all good news today. Alito’s confirmation is expected later this afternoon. [CNN]

• RIP Coretta Scott King. [Jossip]

• Jennifer Beals obviously doesn’t have an issue with outing. In a recent Advocate interview she does just that to Katherine Moennig. [Hothouse]

• Michael Lucas calls the Golden Globes out on being anything but gay friendly. [Lucas Blog]

• Felicity Huffman talks about her little movie that could, Transamerica, “I know they will leave the theater feeling unified and expanded as opposed to … bombarded, like so many big movies do.” [Gay.com]

• Vividblurry takes on more gays, this time going after the “Hot Boy Posse.” They’re like Heathers but with spray-on tans and waxed chests. [Vividblurry]

• Not every queen is concerned only with seeing Colin Farrell naked. Some want him to get better too. [Data Lounge]

Former child star Kevin Zegers holds his own playing opposite Felicity Huffman in the wonderful film Transamerica. He also gets naked, which we sure didn’t mind seeing.

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Last week's So Gay! wrap-up left off with this past year’s best coming out stories. Today we’ll cover the best in gay movies. We think you’ll recognize some films you forked over 10 bucks to see.

5. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. Whether it’s their ability to relate to young Harry’s sense of isolation or his oversized magic wand, The Gays just love Harry Potter. Like the book series, the films are getting progressively darker as Harry himself matures into a man. Soon he'll be legal.

4. Rent. Musical numbers? Check. An AIDS storyline? Check. Director of first two Harry Potter films? Check. A Sex in the City connection? Check. That and more make this movie one big ol’ gay event.

3. TransAmerica. One of our favorite Desperate Housewives straps on a penis in order to portray a character who only wants to get it lopped off. Felicity Huffman is the pre-op tranny who finds out her long lost son is gay hustler. The only thing that would have made this any gayer would have been a cameo by Madge herself.

2. Capote. Phillip Seymor Hoffman turned in a sublime performance as Truman Capote, one full of nuances and all too accurate mannerisms of the famous writer. But let’s not forget Catherine Keener. Her portrayal of carpet muncher Harper Lee was an absolute scene-stealer.

Which brings us to the number one So Gay! Film of the year…

CONTINUED »

• Ever wonder where in the world is the best Country & Western gay bar? The best place to travel alone? Or which city throws a killer Pride? Gay.com has compiled a list of the top gay and lesbian travel destinations from 2005. [Gay.com]

• Does your belt need to match your shoes? No. We agree with Johnny Suede. Mix it up. Just never mix black and brown. [Out.com]

• Dolly Parton has been Golden Globe nominated for a song she wrote for the film Transamerica. This is a cute mini-interview she did for Genre recently. [Genre Magazine]

• The Gays have long appreciated the moustache. This film looks hilarious. We missed the premiere last night, but are dying to see it nonetheless. [The Glorius Moustache Challenge]

• This is so not safe for work. And this is so not right. I mean, really, really, really just not right. Like we said. Not safe for work. And not right. [Gay Porn Blog]

You know we love The Straights as we illustrated in yesterday’s So Gay! list. You know whom we love more than straights? Drag queens and transgender folks. And they were everywhere this year. The top five moments in drag and trannies from 2005 is below.

5. Heatherette/Zaldy. Drag chic was all the rage in 2005 thanks to Richie Rich, Traver Raines, and Zaldy. Zaldy, a onetime runway model in drag, helped Gwen Stefani launch the LAMB line at Fashion Week. Heatherette and tranny-muse Amanda Lepore, brought club-kid fashion to the pages of People and the local Nordstrom making it OK to show your inner freak in the Midwest.

4. RuPaul. Thanks to Jonno, RuPaul started blogging way before blogging was cool. This year Ru continued that project but also got her hands in the dirty porn business, directing for Michael Lucas. But it was her doll line that really caught our eye. Finally, a doll for little gay boys! Perfect for teaching Barbie how to walk the runway.

3. Paris is Burning. More than a decade and a half since its theatrical release Jennie Livingston's classic film finally saw the light of day on DVD in 2005. Giving a face to the Harlem ball scene of the 1980s, the film has kept its power intact. Heartbreaking and empowering, it remains a must see for any gay person, fabulous or not.

2. Transamerica. Desperate Housewife Felicity Huffman plays a transsexual and receives a Golden Globe nod. The gays are all hailing Brokeback Mountain as the must-see gay film of the year. However, this little film deserves just as much attention. And Oscar may just take notice.

Our #1 drag queen of 2005 after the break!

CONTINUED »

Out interviews Kevin Zegers in their latest issue (yet another straight boy on the cover of their "gay" mag) who talks about playing a rent boy in TransAmerica. We’ve been following the young stud's career for a while now. Looks like he’s finally landed himself an adult role opposite an, um, human.

In the interview he takes the time to kiss co-star Felicity Huffman’s ass:

It was incredibly brave of her to embark upon this. I am so unbelievably impressed. She could have sat around and waited to start doing her television show [Desperate Housewives] for a couple of months. But she was inspired to take this enormous risk to do this. She wasn’t just kinda showing up and kinda doing a good job.

Kind words but we doubt he would have complimented his former frequent co-star in such a way. No, not since Kevin had a tendency to co-star alongside golden retrievers not once, not twice, but four times.

• Why torture yourself thinking about an appropriate time to come out to your family when your school will make the decision for you?

• Don't stop midway through this year's Abercrombie Christmas video. That beautiful young couple doesn't stay bundled up for long. Never to disappoint, our favorite pervy retail giant delivers, ripped abs and all.

• Shopping just got a whole lot gayer.

• We're delighted when lesbians hook up for a lifetime of commitment. Love it! But in this case, we think they should be happy their wedding didn't take place in a Knights of Columbus hall.

• New movie options for the weekend: Cillian Murphy dresses in drag and Felicity Huffman is a transsexual who finds out she has a hot teenage son. We're going with the tranny.