-
My Out at Office Message
When my boss, Ben, signed into our Teams meeting yesterday, he didn’t see me. He saw a limited edition RuPaul teddy bear (thank you Build-A-Bear) sitting where I should be. He cracked up. I moved the bear. Being gay men, we were legally obligated to discuss this season of Drag…
-
This Book Is Gay. This Ban Is Grievous.
A week ago, the cowards at the Hillsborough County School Board banned “This Book Is Gay” from middle schools. It was only available at Pierce Middle School, and had been challenged by a single parent who didn’t have a child at that school — and was vetted by two committees…
-
From Addict to Advocate
They say you should never meet your heroes. Not only have I met one of mine, but I’m honored to be her friend. It wasn’t enough for Tiffany Hilton to conquer her demons. As she battled addiction, she saw firsthand the gaps in our criminal justice system. Recovery gave her a…
-
See Ya Later!
Last week, my company’s revenue team1 descended on New Orleans to talk strategy, share information, and knock back a few hurricanes. We also did some team-building events, and the one I was looking forward to the least — an airboat ride on the swamps of Louisana — turned out to be…
-
The Greatest Race
I’ve done quite a few races since I began running, but the most meaningful one was the Gasparilla 5K on Saturday, Feb. 23, 2019. That’s because it was the first one I did with Cherie.1 Cherie and I worked together for a long time at the Tampa Tribune. If there’s…
-
“Do You Have a Problem With Gay People?” No, I Have a Problem With This Person.
Behind the scenes, I’m very opinionated and work hard to advance civil rights. In public, though, I’m a bit more guarded with my comments. I’ve been this way since my reporter days — I didn’t want anyone ever to doubt that I could be objective and fair, even though I…
-
Oops, I Madrid It Again
My eyes light up when people tell me they’re headed to Madrid. The short time I lived there as a kid gave me a long-lasting and deep connection to the city. Like a true Madrileño, I root for Real Madrid and get very defensive when someone suggests Barcelona is a…
-
I Love to Get High
When I was a lad in London, there was only one way to see the city: from ground level. And I never gave that much thought until the Complimentary Spouse and I visited my ancestral homeland in 2004 and took our first spin on the London Eye. It was a…
-
We’re Not Here: LGBTQ Representation in My Childhood
Yesterday, in my blog post about the Bruce Springsteen concert, I wrote a lengthy footnote about how I no longer enjoyed the song “Glory Days.” I wrote that, as a gay man: … it’s unsettling to look back at the cultural touchstones of my youth and discover I was invisible…
-
The Boss and I
The first CD I ever bought was Born in the U.S.A. by Bruce Springsteen. It was 1985, and I got it when I purchased my Sony Discman from the small electronics store on our High Street. As an American kid living in England, I didn’t know much about Bruce Springsteen.…
The Daily Dave
Live, laugh, logorrhea