The Trouble with Coming Out.

Paul Baker writes about the challenges that students face when they come out at university.

If you’re a straight teenager, in these godless ‘end times’, you’ve probably got a head-start on emotional growing up. You’ve probably fancied members of the opposite sex (and nobody’s bullied you because of it), you’ve probably had a boyfriend or girlfriend.

Ben Cohen

Paul Baker selects Ben Cohen for Polari Magazine’s list of LGBT Heroes. For UK LGBT History Month.

There are too few people involved in macho sports like rugby and football (gay or straight) who will stick their neck out for us, and so Ben is a much-needed friend and hopefully at the forefront of a growing trend.

Rose Robertson

Paul Baker selects Rose Robertson for Polari Magazine’s list of LGBT Heroes. For UK LGBT History Month.

Rose Robertson set up Parents Enquiry, the first British helpline to support parents of lesbian, gay and bisexual children. She was soon receiving referrals from the police and social workers – and helped thousands of parents to accept their children.

The last stand of the old-style Tories against equality.

Paul Baker writes about that upcoming vote on marriage equality and the bigots it will leave behind.

Despite David Burrowes’ claims of not being homophobic, his “no” vote will be there for future generations to look over, and it will be interpreted as a last ineffectual gasp of mean-mindedness, hurting no-one but the reputations of those who made it.

On “sh*t that straight people say to gay people”

Paul Baker writes about that one phrase that straight people like to say to gay people: I don’t mind you being gay, just don’t shove it in my face.

I sometimes wonder about all of the times that I’ve had heterosexual sex waggled about under my nose by the media, how it’s so pervasive that it barely registers, and how frequently it’s just there for titillation value.

Gay Face: Another Contemporary Stereotype

Paul Baker takes a look at the term ‘gay face’, and how its use as an insult is just homophobic.

If you’re calling someone “gay face” then I’m going to go out on a limb and guess that, not only are you a little bit catty, but you’ve also bought in to all the nasty homophobic and genderphobic stereotypes that mainstream society has been using to make gay men second class citizens for decades.

The Camp and the Bitchy: Gay Men on TV

Paul Baker asks if the stereotypes of John Inman’s camp queen are over and done with, or does the stereotyping of gay men on TV continue?

Sean Tully in Coronation Street tends to have a better time, but he’s another camp (if more lovable) stereotype. As is Harry from The Only Way in Essex. I suspect Harry has never had an unkind thought, but that could be because his head is full of glitter and sparkles.

[rating=4]
UK: 95 min • Hammer • DVD

Bette Davis plays matriarch Mrs Taggart and plays a rough game to keep her sons away from the guiding influence of other women.

Like all hag films, the women get the strongest roles – Sheila Hancock and Elaine Taylor measure up well, although this is Bette’s film and she relishes the role, cackling with witchy glee at the outrageous things that she gets to do.

Polari regular Paul Baker writes about the word ‘gay’.

The word ‘gay’ has changed of late, writes Paul Baker, author of the Polari Dictionary. From happy to homosexual to naff, it may now be out of favour.

The adoption of gay was a major breakthrough in our never-ending two-steps forward, one-step back march to equality. Prior to us taking over the word en masse in the early 1970s it had meant ‘disposed to joy and mirth’, although it could also refer to prostitution or impertinence.

From Recipes to Pecs: A brief personal history of gay magazines

A look back at this history of gay magazines, and recollections of their importance of the coming out process, by Paul Baker.

Gay Times used to feature pictures of gay celebrities or icons on its front cover in the 1980s and early 1990s – can you imagine Jimmy Somerville getting on the front cover of GT now? By the mid 1990s a change was afoot and now the rules were that the front cover was always a meaty young orange torso, with almost every other issue featuring the word SEX in big bold capitals.