When’s the last time you took a moment to appreciate the LGBT Jews in your life?
Keshet, an advocacy group for Jewish LGBTs, put together three posters to celebrate the contributions of Harvey Milk, Kate Bornstein, and Lesléa Newman. Who?
Kate and Lesléa might not be household names, but the names should at least sound familiar. One’s a renowned author, scholar, and artist; and the other is the author of Heather Has Two Mommies. Oh, THAT Lesléa Newman!
But surely there are more than three queer Jews in need of recognition. Judiasm and queerness go together like ingredients in a delicious kugel. Who would you nominate for the next round of posters?
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.
Keshet commenters have plenty of suggestions: Barney Frank, Stephen Sondheim, Evan Wolfson, Annie Liebovitz, Tony Kushner, Allen Ginsberg, Suze Orman, Moises Kaufman, Gertrude Stein.
Gosh, when you think about Jews and gays you sure do some up with lot of arts & showbiz names. Who knew?
ZT
That’s a pretty crummy list of suggestions they made. Barney Frank ?! No-talents like Annie Liebovitz ?? Why don’t they just suggest Jason Gould? So, to stick with true historical notables (I’d say Marcel Proust but he was only half-Jewish)I’ll go with filmmaker Sergei Eisenstein.
ChiGuy76
Well, my favorite Queer Jew would have to be my future husband, R&B singer Ari Gold. Sigh…….a boy can dream, can’t he?
Mike
My favorite jew? Definitely my husband.
Matthew
Judith Butler!
Faygelah
What about Roberta Achtenberg, Marty Duberman, Jerome Robbins, Anne Kronenberg, Michael Feinstein, Jared Polis,Michael Bennett, David Levitt, Maurice Sendak, Sandra Bernhard, Bruce Vilanch, Janis Ian, Adam Lambert, Jerry Herman
gina
@ZT:
Eisenstein was, in fact, only half-Jewish as well. And it was his dad’s side.
Jeffree
Scissor Sisters’ Baby Daddy is Jewish, per Wiki.
Worth considering… Ron Huberman, based on looks & brains, but still light on accomplishments.
My vote would go to composer Aaron Copland. Sondheim & Gertrude Stein tie for second.
[I always thought Lily Tomlin was Jewish, for some unknown reason. Turns out she was raised Baptist…. So much for my Jewdar, eh what?]
ChiGuy76
@Jeffree: Not to worry. My “Jewdar” never worked, even when I was in a 2-year relationship with my Sephardic ex-boyfriend. Believe me, he did his best to train me on spotting who was and was not part of the tribe and I almost always failed. I always thought that Jason Biggs was Jewish and it turns out he’s actually Italian Catholic. Not to mention that despite having the name and a very ethnic nose, Hairspray’s Nikki Blonsky was raised Catholic. Go figure. I guess the Jewish community has become a lot like the gay community these days, you just can’t tell anymore. Oy vay!
ZT
Oh, thank you, Gina. I didn’t know that about Eisenstein. Okay, I’ll change my vote to Maurice Sendak.
manuel
Ian Benardo! He is the hottest sephardic Jew ever!
mattsy
ANNE FRANK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
shmuel
I’m my own favorite Queer Jew.
Bobby Christina Crawford
Jeebus Christos
divkid
reppin for dear old blighty, gawd bless ‘er, is the sheer lovely naughtiness that is miriam margolyes, and that equally cuddly lovely, stephen fry.
(for something other than naughty cuddly loveliness, i’d vote wittgenstein)
John D
My husband. He’s an out gay scientist.