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News & ArtsThursday, March 10, 2011
Homo It Gets Better: David Sedaris
Posted by Dan Savage on Thu, Mar 10, 2011 at 10:30 AM
I'm so old that when I was in junior high school calling someone a queer was like calling him a warlock. This is not to say that the word was never used, just that no one had actual faith in it. A kid might be girlish. He might tape pictures of other guys to the inside of his locker or pack for Scout camp in an patent leather purse. But no one believed he could truly be a homosexual, as such creatures didn't really exist—did they?
We certainly didn't see them on TV. My school had no information on gay people, and neither did the public library, not even in novels. Perhaps it was different for kids in big cities, but in Raleigh, North Carolina, in the late '60s and '70s, I honestly believed I was the only homosexual on earth. It's the way that a zoo creature might feel—these seals, for example, that I saw on a recent trip to New York. Born in captivity, what do they know of the oceans, and all the other seals living contended lives out there?
David Sedaris is one of the many writers, artists, and activists who contributed an original essay to It Gets Better: Coming Out, Overcoming Bullying, and Creating a Life Worth Living, which will be released on March 22. You can pre-order a copy at Amazon, through ItGetsBetter.org, or at your favorite local bookstore. It Gets Better event in Seattle at Town Hall on Tuesday March 29. Tickets and info here.
1
Funny, I was in junior high in the 90's in Federal Way, and I felt the same way. I thought all gay people were in there 30's and lived in San Francisco, and that meant I couldn't possibly be gay, let alone anyone else in my class. Luckily I realized how wrong I was in high school.
2
Wow.
When Davie was a little faggot 0% of homosexuals had AIDS.
Just LOOK how much Fuckin' BETTER its gotten!!!!!
When Davie was a little faggot 0% of homosexuals had AIDS.
Just LOOK how much Fuckin' BETTER its gotten!!!!!
3
Did anyone proofread this book? Seals in the ocean live "contended" lives? I'm sure they contend with other marine mammals and fish for food, and each other to mate, but me, I'll only be content when Spellcheck is permanently disabled everywhere.
Already pre-ordered, though.
Already pre-ordered, though.
4
@3: Really? You're comment is to criticize David Sedaris' spelling? For fuck's sake, go get a hobby.
5
@4 I thought his hobby was to look younger than Dan at family reunions... :) And now I have to go reread Dress Your Family...
6
@4: Actually, every one of these excerpts from the "It Gets Better" book that I have read have had a grammatical of some kind that I have noticed on the first read through. I think Dan and Terry might want to step up their editing a bit...
And I'm not trying to be a jerk or anything, it's just that... I've noticed them.
And I'm not trying to be a jerk or anything, it's just that... I've noticed them.
8
"pack for Scout camp in an patent leather purse"
Chicago Fan, thanks for noticing! Maybe these aren't copypasted from the actual book, but typed in via your brother's iPhone as he sits through that White House conference?
Chicago Fan, thanks for noticing! Maybe these aren't copypasted from the actual book, but typed in via your brother's iPhone as he sits through that White House conference?
10
6
Yes, it's true.
If Danny worked at a real newspaper his ignorant ass would have been fired years ago.
As it is he is "Editorial Director" at The Stranger?!
We guess spelling don't count in Gommorah.....
What is most delicious is that Danny has the total lack of self awareness to mock Mississippi School Board members and hate mail authors for being illiterate.
It would be ironic, if only Danny knew how to spell 'ironic'.
Danny's only saving grace is that he is pro-legalized-parostition....
6
Yes, it's true.
If Danny worked at a real newspaper his ignorant ass would have been fired years ago.
As it is he is "Editorial Director" at The Stranger?!
We guess spelling don't count in Gommorah.....
What is most delicious is that Danny has the total lack of self awareness to mock Mississippi School Board members and hate mail authors for being illiterate.
It would be ironic, if only Danny knew how to spell 'ironic'.
Danny's only saving grace is that he is pro-legalized-parostition....
11
Hey all. The errors could be from Dan's transcription of the book for these posts.
The book uses the word "contented".
It Gets Better was pushed into publication with only 11 weeks to ask for submissions through turning the book in to the publisher. There are probably more mistakes. But considering the amount of work that has gone into getting this book out to press, it is only natural.
The book was proofread as it was being typeset. Something that NEVER happens in the industry. We had 6 sets of eyes going over the text as it was being laid out, so I hope we caught them all, but now you know the reason if we didn't.
The book uses the word "contented".
It Gets Better was pushed into publication with only 11 weeks to ask for submissions through turning the book in to the publisher. There are probably more mistakes. But considering the amount of work that has gone into getting this book out to press, it is only natural.
The book was proofread as it was being typeset. Something that NEVER happens in the industry. We had 6 sets of eyes going over the text as it was being laid out, so I hope we caught them all, but now you know the reason if we didn't.
12
Canuck, exactly - was 1978 my Year of The A Chorus Line Original Cast Album as well? Yes, yes it was....
13
David Sedaris! I'm not sure whether I'm more impressed that you've been invited to the White House today, or that you got David Sedaris to contribute to the IGBP book. In any case, color me impressed!
15
Ah gus, we were living the same life at opposite ends of the country...*smile*
Terry, you and Dan have done such an amazing thing with this whole project. I can't wait to read the book, and donate it. Wish you guys could attend a cocktail party with all the contributors...
Terry, you and Dan have done such an amazing thing with this whole project. I can't wait to read the book, and donate it. Wish you guys could attend a cocktail party with all the contributors...
16
11
So Danny is so fucking ignorant that he can't transcribe edited text without fucking it up?
That is so sad....
Please insist that he have a vasectomy.
So Danny is so fucking ignorant that he can't transcribe edited text without fucking it up?
That is so sad....
Please insist that he have a vasectomy.
17
Contended is a word: contended past participle, past tense of con·tend (Verb)
1. Struggle to surmount (a difficulty or danger).
2. Engage in a competition or campaign in order to win or achieve (something).
It's possible that he was suggesting that the seals who live in the wild live in a more dangerous environment but success there has a greater reward or feeling (if seals have feelings)
http://lmgtfy.com/?q=contended
1. Struggle to surmount (a difficulty or danger).
2. Engage in a competition or campaign in order to win or achieve (something).
It's possible that he was suggesting that the seals who live in the wild live in a more dangerous environment but success there has a greater reward or feeling (if seals have feelings)
http://lmgtfy.com/?q=contended
20
@ 3 Chicago Fan, it says "contented" in my copy* of the book. I haven't seen a typo yet, but I have wept a little while reading.
*I don't know why my pre-order has already been delivered.
*I don't know why my pre-order has already been delivered.
21
Kim, it's because you're the nicest person here, and you play guitar naked...the karma gods are smiling!
22
Glad to hear yours arrived, Kim. Got package waiting notice from our local post office yesterday, maybe it's the book! Shall find out this afternoon when I get off work.
If the worst anyone can say is they found a typo then they need to just be quiet. Seriously. The good that's come out of It Gets Better far surpasses niggling over a typo. I work in publishing and it's an extraordinary feat that the book has been published. It often takes years to get a book off the ground.
If the worst anyone can say is they found a typo then they need to just be quiet. Seriously. The good that's come out of It Gets Better far surpasses niggling over a typo. I work in publishing and it's an extraordinary feat that the book has been published. It often takes years to get a book off the ground.
23
Canuck, you are very kind. "Nicest" is always in the eyes of the beholder. Thank you. As to my guitar/bass playing concert attire, I'm sure that many here would think 'ewww', because my 'assets' are not to their taste. xo
I'm looking forward to the healing power of these essays. We've just had news that 9th grade boy ended his life at one of our local high schools, reason is unknown at the moment as far as I've heard. Hug your kids tonight and wear a smile that says you are beautiful in my eyes to the world. You never know who may need the simple affirmation that is offered in a smile.
I'm looking forward to the healing power of these essays. We've just had news that 9th grade boy ended his life at one of our local high schools, reason is unknown at the moment as far as I've heard. Hug your kids tonight and wear a smile that says you are beautiful in my eyes to the world. You never know who may need the simple affirmation that is offered in a smile.
24
It's what I feel where I live right now. No one is out, so even if my gaydar is going off, it's still kind of hard to imagine that a person right next to me might actually be gay.
25
I am so excited about this book! I'm going to try to get to the signing at Town Hall. Hopefully I won't make an ass of myself, like I did the last time I was in his Savage presence, and fall off of anything.
@10: Oh and Period Troll? If you suck on that lemon any harder? I'm afraid you might turn your face right inside out, bless your heart!
@10: Oh and Period Troll? If you suck on that lemon any harder? I'm afraid you might turn your face right inside out, bless your heart!
26
23
until the facts are in it's best to assume he was gay and was harrassed to death by christians....
until the facts are in it's best to assume he was gay and was harrassed to death by christians....
27
Oh Kim, I'm so sorry to hear that news...my youngest is in 9th grade, it's such an angsty time for them, so much drama, and problems seem so much more insurmountable at that age. I keep reminding him, when dealing with kids who are bugging him, to not criticize them personally, it's so easy at that age to pick on personal things, rather than on behaviour. I'm just so glad that bullying is finally getting some serious attention.
28
@10:
>We guess spelling don't count in Gommorah.....
>spelling don't count in Gommorah
>spelling
>Gommorah
WHAT HAS SCIENCE WROUGHT?
@19: TROLLED HARD
>We guess spelling don't count in Gommorah.....
>spelling don't count in Gommorah
>spelling
>Gommorah
WHAT HAS SCIENCE WROUGHT?
@19: TROLLED HARD
29
Me too, Canuck.
Like I said earlier, the reason(s) why aren't given, just that he was 14 and ended his life on Monday. It makes my heart ache for him and all those who loved him.
Like I said earlier, the reason(s) why aren't given, just that he was 14 and ended his life on Monday. It makes my heart ache for him and all those who loved him.
31
@16: I know you're a troll, but you clearly don't understand reproduction... Dan's not getting anyone pregnant, regardless of whether he gets a vasectomy or not.
32
Unless you are donating the proceeds back to queer youth you have become an opportunist hypocrite.
34
Clashfan,
The obituary is in today's Oregonian. A friend shared the news on Facebook that it was a classmate of her child. That is all I know. I don't think he attended a PP school, likely a BSD one in PDX (WA Co.) area, but that is a guess on my part.
The obituary is in today's Oregonian. A friend shared the news on Facebook that it was a classmate of her child. That is all I know. I don't think he attended a PP school, likely a BSD one in PDX (WA Co.) area, but that is a guess on my part.
35
@ 32,
Click the link and you can read for yourself who the beneficiaries are: The Trevor Project & GLSEN.
Click the link and you can read for yourself who the beneficiaries are: The Trevor Project & GLSEN.
36
Guys, just be thankful you can get your hands on "It Gets Better: Coming Out, Overcoming Bullying, and Creating a Life Worth Living" because it is not published in England until the last days of March - 29th, I think. So I've put it on my Amazon Wish List in the hope that makes them stock a lot.
These life-affirming stories will only achieve their purpose if young people get to read them. So think hard about how to get schools to stock it - and not tucked away in some teacher's locker but there on the shelves where a kid can pick it up unseen, sneak it away and bring it back once cheered up. If you think that's an unlikely scenario, then you are wrong - a lot of sex education books get read by just that tactic. And yes, they do bring them back. And a poster or two would help as well.
These life-affirming stories will only achieve their purpose if young people get to read them. So think hard about how to get schools to stock it - and not tucked away in some teacher's locker but there on the shelves where a kid can pick it up unseen, sneak it away and bring it back once cheered up. If you think that's an unlikely scenario, then you are wrong - a lot of sex education books get read by just that tactic. And yes, they do bring them back. And a poster or two would help as well.
38
It Get's Better project in an unusual and hilarious shout-out from the whole Charlie Sheen stuff:
http://insidetv.ew.com/2011/03/10/jon-cr…
http://insidetv.ew.com/2011/03/10/jon-cr…
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