While some of you are busy figuring out whether Lady Gaga plagiarized her new single “Born This Way,” Los Angeles’ DJ Paul V is using the name for an amazing blog that documents how gender and sexuality just might have nothing to do with the masc and fem traits displayed by children. “Some of the pix here feature gay boys with feminine traits, and some gay girls with masculine traits,” Paul says. “And even more gay kids with NONE of those traits. And just like real life, these gay kids come in all shades and layers of masculine and feminine. And the sooner we teach all children that being gay is as normal (and biological) as being straight, then maybe it really WILL get better.” These might be awkward family photos. They are also honest and charming depictions of young human beings just … being. [Born This Way Blog, via]
MM
Love that blog!
I must say I’m surprised to see so many gay boys wearing female clothes and doing vogue poses:
http://borngaybornthisway.blogspot.com
AFruit4Thought
That’s really cool – just one more way to show that sexuality and gender identity are not choices.
Paul V.
Wow, thank you Queerty – one of MY favorite sites!!!
I appreciate you featuring my blog. The response has been overwhelming and amazing, and people really “get it”.
Many thanks again, and have a great weekend!
xo Paul V. (creator, “Born This Way” blog)
j
There’s nothing gay about that first pic. Unless you’re making the visual pun that whatever that kid’s holding looks like a dick, then you’re sexualising a minor. I don’t think I’ll bother with this blog.
Fitz
@j: 100% cosign. I love the project, love the idea.. but sexualizing that first photo is vulgar, at best.
Bastian
@Fitz:
@j:
As someone who has actually gone to, looked at, and submitted a picture and article to the blog, let me tell you how it works: The posts are submitted by the people in the picture. We choose the picture, write the entry, and send it to Paul. He does minor edits for brevity, and then posts the entry as-is. He’s not collecting pictures of gay kids and writing stories. WE are giving him the content. WE are observing visual puns about OURSELVES, if such is the case.
Checking the place out before you make judgements may do you some good; the stories that people share on that site are cute, touching, powerful affirmations.
scott ny'er
@Bastian: What’s interesting, is that some of the pictures I viewed, I would not consider, “gay” aka “flamboyant.” I know, i was going thru the site and saying, that’s not gay, nor that, nor that. And I got tired of looking because it seemed fraudulent. True, the pics are self-identified and submitted but I don’t see the gay characteristics in said pics.
Bastian
@scott ny’er: My goodness. This is a loaded comment. You’re judging how “gay” people seem in their childhood pictures? Some of them are flamboyant and/or butch, yes. Some of them are not. Some gay people are flamboyant and/or butch, yes. Some of them are not. Are you saying that these people aren’t “gay enough” and thus seem “fraudulent”? Wow. Just…wow.
jed
Thanks for drawing my attention to this blog… simply heartwarming! <3
Zach
@scott ny’er:
Isn’t that kind of the point?
Obviously, a significant number of gay kids unconsciously experiment with gender identity. But a lot of kids don’t. I’d have greater reservations about the site if it was trying to make some universal statement about behaviour in pre-pubescent gay children.
scott ny'er
@Zach: Whoops. I skimmed the intro copy and just saw this, “Some of the pix here feature gay boys with feminine traits, and some gay girls with masculine traits,” and not this, “And even more gay kids with NONE of those traits.” Makes sense now.
rodrigo
Thank you for pointing out this website! I just added it to my bookmarks. I think it is a nice tribute to all lgbt adults looking back on their childhood and their promise that it does get better!