LGBTQ+ Issues

Film critic John Powers considers the Oscar nominees.

Book critic Maureen Corrigan reviews "The Gay Metropolis" (Houghton Mifflin) by Charles Kaiser.

Film critic John Powers reviews three new foreign films: the French film "Nenette et Bonni," the Palestinian film "Chronicle of a Disappearance," and the film from China, "Happy Together" by director Wong Kar Wai.

Director Wong Kar-Wai . The writer and director of 1994's "Chungking Express," 1995's "Fallen Angels" and this year's "Happy Together," Wong has worked in the Hong Kong film industry for 15 years, and is continuing to gain a strong American following. Wong was named "Best Director" at this year's Cannes film festival for "Happy Together." He is currently working on his next film, "Summer in Beijing."

Playwright, novelist, and screenwriter Paul Rudnick. Paul discusses his new movie, "In & Out," starring Kevin Kline -- the story of a high school English teacher "outed" on national t.v. by a former student, much to the surprise of everyone. Rudnick is the author of such plays as "I Hate Hamlet," "The Naked Eye," and "Jeffrey." He also wrote the screenplay for "Addams Family Values." (Interview by Barbara Bogaev)

Novelist Edmund White has just completed his semi-autobiographical trilogy. The new novel The Farewell Symphony (Knopf) focuses on gay life from the 1960’s to the present. His other books include A Boy’s Own Story,The Beautiful Room is Empty,Genet: A Biography, Forgetting Elena, Nocturnes for the King of Naples, States of Desire: Travels in Gay America, The Joy of Gay Sex, and Caracole.

Chaz Bono is the child of Sonny Bono and Cher. In 1990 Star Magazine "outed" Bono as a lesbian. Since then Bono has become an outspoken advocate for lesbian and gay rights. Bono was the former spokesperson for the Human Rights Campaign, a national lesbian and gay political organization. Bono is now Entertainment Media Director for the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation.

TV critic David Bianculli previews the "Ellen" episode that's been talked about for months: the one in which she comes out as a lesbian.

Sullivan was the editor of The New Republic for five years and the first openly gay editor of a national magazine. On leaving the position last year, he revealed he is HIV positive. His new book is "Same-Sex Marriage: Pro and Con" (Vintage Books).

Film reviewer John Anderson reviews the new film "Chasing Amy."

A segment from the NPR show "This American Life". It's about a family broken apart by the son's homosexuality. The program, titled "Sissies" originally aired on T.A.L. 12/13/96. "This American Life" is produced at WBEZ in Chicago.

Professor of Sociology Charles Moskos. He teaches at Northwestern University. He's written many articles on race relations in the military for the New York times, the Washington Post, the Chicago Tiribune, and The New Republic. He's co-authored a new book about the U.S. Army's success at integration: "All That We Can Be: Black Leadership and Racial Integration the Army Way."

Vachon's newest movie is "Stonewall," a fictional account of the real life 1969 uprising by gays after police stormed the Stonewall Inn in New York's Greenwich Village. Her other film credits include a string of art house hits: "I Shot Andy Warhol," "Go Fish," "Kids."

Political advisor David Mixner. His new book, Stranger Among Friends, is a memoir of the 1992 Clinton campaign and life inside the Clinton White House. Mixner was pivotal in getting then-Governor Clinton the support of gay voters and was hopeful that the Democratic victory would expand civil rights to gays and lesbians. With Clinton’s watered-down support of gays in the military and recent rejection of gay marriage, Mixner has become disillusioned with the administration, and his book reflects this.

Crowley's works were recently re-published in a book, "3 Plays by Mart Crowley" (Alyson Publications). "The Boys in the Band" (1968), is the classic portrait of a gay artist living in New York and was one of the first plays to break the taboo on the portrayal of homosexuality. A revival of "The Boys in the Band" opened in June and the film version is being featured at the Philadelphia International Gay and Lesbian Film Festival this summer.

Author Andrew Holleran. His latest novel, "The Beauty of Men" (William Morrow), is about a gay man in his late forties who is obsessed with the beauty of youth and his own mortality. At the same time, he harbors guilt for mourning the loss of his youth when so many around him are dying young. Holleran, whose real name is not known, has written two other novels under the pseudonym and is a frequent contributor to "Christopher Street" magazine.

Book critic Maureen Corrigan reviews "Transgender Warriors" by transgender activist Leslie Feinberg (Beacon)

Documentary producer, Glenn Holsten who's recent documentary, "Mothers who March" focuses on the lives and commitment of four mothers who've lost children to Aids. It debuts on PBS television nation-wide tonight (Tuesday May 7).

Film director Joseph Cates. His film "Who Killed Teddy Bear" was made in the mid 1960s. It starred Sal Mineo, Juliet Prowse and Elaine Stritch. The film has recently been re-released. It's been described as a "smorgasbord of Hollywood taboos: voyeurism, pornography, masturbation, incest, child abuse, transvestism, lesbianism." "Who Killed Teddy Bear?" is playing at the Film Forum in New York City, March 8-14.

Filmmakers Rob Epstein & Jeffrey Freidman. They've produced a film version of Russo's book, "The Celluloid Closet." The documentary includes film clips and interview with actors, directors, writers and critics.