Ask the Flying Monkey! (March 24, 2010)

Have a question about gay male entertainment? Contact me here (and be sure and include your city and state and/or country!) 

Q: Dear winged simian, why isn’t the song "Don't Give Up" by Peter Gabriel & Kate Bush considered a gay anthem? I know the song isn't in itself gay, but the message, especially the last verse – “Don't give up, 'cause I believe there's the a place, there's a place where we belong" – says so much. Plus, it’s been covered by Willie Nelson, Sinead O'Connor, Sarah Brightman, and Gregorian monks! – Gilbert, Mcallen, TX

"Don't Give Up" by Gabriel/Bush (1986) and Ferraro/Gaga (2009)

A: What makes a song a "gay anthem" – or what makes any work of art go from "well-received" to "timeless" status?

Serendipity. 

Seriously, think about all the books and movies and songs and TV shows that are released every year. At the end of that year, only a handful are remembered. Ten years after that, even fewer are. 

Why are the ones that are remembered remembered? It's not a question of quality, or even relevance – the enduring popularity of The Goonies quickly punctures those lies.  

So what is it? Who knows?

I will say this: I've had conversations with hundreds of successful writers and artists in my life, and the one thing that most agree on is that the one or two works that they're most "famous" for are not necessarily the ones they think are the "best," or even the ones they'd like to be remembered for. (The self-aware ones allow that perhaps something is at work that they're not aware of; the annoying ones are bitter that "more" of their work didn't reach "timeless" status.)

Trust me, it's all serendipity. There is no good "reason" why "Don't Give Up" isn't a gay anthem. It deserves it as much as any other song. It just ... isn't.

Still, Lady Gaga and The Midway State’s Nathan Ferraro did a version of this classic song last year (unreleased, but a version was recently leaked online), so who knows? Maybe it’ll still happen!

Q: Dearest two-winged, supposedly very hairy and long-tailed fountain of knowledge! Before the Winter Olympics, there was so much talk about the Pride House. Was it well received? I haven't heard anything about it. Have you? – Anna, Braunschweig, Germany

A: “Pride House was a total success,” says Dean Nelson, Executive Producer and the creator of Pride House. “Our primary goal was to create a dialogue on homophobia in sports and build awareness of the inequalities of LGBT people throughout the world.” That absolutely happened, he tells me – not just as a result of all those who visited the pavilions in both Vancouver and Whistler, but because of all the media coverage.

“It is our hope that this will be the catalyst in creating real positive change in the sporting community,” he says. “Until the national sporting organizations adapt real policy change and create a safe environment for the athletes, why would an athlete put him/herself at risk in losing possible wages, sponsorship deals and/or being a target?”

So who did stop by the pavilions? Jon Montgomery, Canada’s Gold Medalist in Men's Skeleton (who is straight), made a visit, as did a number of closeted GLBT athletes.

Visitors to Pride House included out Olympic gold medalist Mark Tewksbury (far left), Dean Nelson (second from left), and gold Medalist Jon Montgomery (in plaid)

“We had some interesting conversations as to what life was like in the athlete's village,” Nelson says. “Some athletes were more comfortable talking openly about their same-sex relationships than others. Other athletes and friends and family of the athletes also told us of many more athletes that are gay, but not out publicly.”

Unfortunately, the winter games only had four out athletes (all women).

“Our biggest disappointment for Pride House was the lack of corporate sponsorship,” Nelson says. “So we self-funded most of the project with our own personal money.”

Interestingly, the centers fielded a number of inquiries regarding immigration and refugee outreach, from folks coming from more homophobic countries.

Next Page! Is there such a thing as a gay Vulcan? Plus, I almost throw up in front of 1500 people!