How do you think this applies to the gay community? Men, not chicks? (Not asking you to represent all gay dudes, BTW; just asking for thoughts, cause I'm interested in this line of thought, Matt.)
I think we face issues more similar to women's regarding what qualities are considered attractive and what people comment on. Looks are definitely the principal method of exchange in the dating game rather than security or "good provider" status, and I feel a LOT more scrutiny/pressure about my body and weight than my straight friends indicate themselves facing. Though I wouldn't say it's exactly the same, as there are only certain contexts in which I run into objectification rather than encountering it all the time from a huge proportion of the population. (I'm not being objectified by heterosexual guys, after all.)
Well, and to run with that, Matt, I think there are certain segments of the gay community where it seems to be a sliding scale--EITHER you're hot and young and probably poor (twink) OR you're older and maybe not as hot (though you're still pressured to be hot) and you've got money...
Lesbians, OTOH, tend to be poor AND fugly. :)
I don't know... I've only seen people digging for money/trophy spouses in mass media, and other than the one rentboy of my acquaintance have never encountered anyone looking to be supported or seen anyone turned down based on income. Of course, people who are villa-on-the-Mediterranean rich are pretty thin on the ground in my area of the country, so maybe there's more of it going on in Washington.
I think there are certain segments of the gay community where it seems to be a sliding scale--EITHER you're hot and young and probably poor (twink) OR you're older and maybe not as hot (though you're still pressured to be hot) and you've got money...
I was going to say -- there are definitely segments of the straight community where this holds true.
So for my children's lit class, we are doing an author project. I'm doing mine on Mo Willems and making it like a Pigeon book. Hee! I've never had so much fun!
Anyone whose interested and can actually get the site to load, can download a free copy of Suze Orman's book, Women and Money, at Oprah.com today.
I've got to check in with Marc about that. Sheesh. As if Oxford American hasn't already had enough drama for any ten magazines.
A request from my writer's group:
A friend of mine, Kate Bernheimer, runs a small press, Fairy Tale Review Press, out of the U of Alabama that is reprinting Joy Williams's great and underappreciated classic novel from 30 years ago, The Changeling. She has almost no budget for marketing or anything publicity-wise, but is passionate about the book and secured a lovely foreword from Rick Moody. Is anyone out there a fan of Joy's? Does anyone have any advice, counsel, pointers, connections that would help us take this book to a large audience? Immensely grateful for anything you have to offer...
I have no advice, but I'm glad to see that the U of AL's creative writing program is still so robust.
