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From The Advocate August 2010

A Day in Gay America

What's it look like to be gay in America today? We asked readers — including photographer John Arsenault — to submit photos from Friday, May 21. This is part 1.

By Advocate Contributors

A DAY IN GAY AMERICA X560 (SCOTT MCPHERSON) | ADVOCATE.COM

What does it look like to be gay in America in 2010? There are some people who insist that if you don’t look like a stereotype, you’re just not doing it right. But the truth is that our gay lives are simultaneously as mundane as those of our heterosexual peers and more wildly varied than even we acknowledge at times. This documentary project, for which we asked our readers to submit photos of their own lives on one single day—May 21, 2010—is the first of a kind for The Advocate. And the results speak beautifully for themselves. Each picture serves as a reminder—to ourselves and to others—that we are undeniable, we are unique, and that no one has the right to tell us who we should love or how we should express ourselves.

This portfolio includes the 35 images from the print issue of the magazine. Check back Monday, July 19 for part two of our four part series.

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Related Stories from Advocate.com

Photography A Day in Gay America, Part 2 August 01, 2010 By Advocate Contributors For part two of The Advocate's Day in Gay America series, readers show us how they kick back, relax and, in the case of Vernita Gray and Pat Ewart, enjoy some Starbucks in Chicago's Boystown.

Photography A Day in Gay America, Part Three July 25, 2010 By Advocate Contributors Part three of the "Day in Gay America" photo series goes into the homes of gay Americans, including artist Dan Connery working on a series of life-size nudes.

Reader Comments

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Name: James
Date posted: 10/3/2010 4:24:05 AM
Hometown: Missoura

Comment:
Oh, yeah, because gays are exactly evenly split between each age, up until the life expectancy, which is the exact date everyone dies. Of those, 50% are Wapi Indians, and the other 50% are drag queens. Just like half the population is gay! Jesus christ people. Relax.
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Name: Enrique Perez
Date posted: 7/30/2010 10:53:08 AM
Hometown: Rockville, MD

Comment:
To the individual that posted the comment counting the number of people who are of color, who are women, ect. in this photo shoot. As a person of color, I personally do not like being treated as a quota. Great photos! Keep it up Advocate.
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Name: Derek
Date posted: 7/27/2010 3:47:03 PM
Hometown: Aledo, IL

Comment:
I wish this would feature more blue collar people, as opposed to New York actors and musicians, reality show contestants and media figures. You are off to a great start, though...
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Name: Jessica
Date posted: 7/26/2010 11:47:01 PM
Hometown: NYC

Comment:
Check out this new lipstick lesbian blog www.thislesbianlife.wordpress.com
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Name: Ryan
Date posted: 7/22/2010 1:00:49 AM
Hometown: Hunlock Creek, Pa

Comment:
In response to all the comments claiming that this project is biased: Although I can't claim that there is an equal distribution of race, gender, and age, I really don't think that that is due to anything on Advocate's end. You have to remember that this project wasn't conducted in a "hey we want you, you, and you to come get your picture taken" way, it was in a "hey we want EVERYONE to send in pictures of yourself being yourself" way; so its very possible that the number of entries submitted is simply leaning in number towards white males. And even if that weren't the case (which it probably is), the photo collage is only half done, we have to wait till August 2nd to see the entire essay.
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Name: Morris
Date posted: 7/21/2010 1:10:08 PM
Hometown: Chicago

Comment:
Of the LGBT people pictured here by may count 42 are men, 14 are women, 5 are recognizably people of color, and 1 is recognizably a senior citizen. A portrait of gay America? Not bloody likely. ADVOCATE, you can do better than this.
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Name: Jailton Martins
Date posted: 7/18/2010 5:04:06 PM
Hometown: Recife, Brazil

Comment:
Im gonna write in Portuguese: Parabéns a todos pelo lindo ensaio. Gostaria que fizessem algo parecido no Brasil, logo agora que a Argentina apoiou o casamento gay. Meu país ainda está muito preso às tradições católicas, e todos os LGBT sofrem com bastante preconceito disfarçado de aceitação, sempre sem os direitos básicos de cidadania LGBT. Congrats to all in Advocate magazine for this essay. Id wish you could do something like that in my place, Brazil. Specially now, after Argentina approval to gay marriage. My country, Brazil, which is very catholic, still is linked to prejudice even trying to show to world it is friendly place. But Brazil is just hiding its terrible prejudice to LGBT citizenship.
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Name: Garrett
Date posted: 7/17/2010 10:55:59 AM
Hometown: Paradise, Tx

Comment:
I agree, this is a great compilation!!! This is one of the very best pieces I've seen from the Advocate! Being from Texas, it's often a complaint of mine that most gay magazines don't seem to show "every day" gay people. Even with my first subscription a few years ago, I feared I was going to get wrapped into a world of high fashion, “perfect bodies” and self-obsession (which is all I thought “gay culture” was). I think this is a great concept! Family portraits and loving photos of people of varying types, shapes, sizes and locations in pictures all shot throughout a single day. Brilliant! I would love to see more of this! It's great for me (and I'm sure others) who are gay, in rural communities, seemingly surrounded by others who are leaving us to only imagine "gay life." Stories like this broaden the stroke of how many different kinds of gay people exist and how they exist in life! It gives people courage and most of all hope: happiness, or rather contentment, is very possible... even being gay ;)
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Name: Su
Date posted: 7/17/2010 7:41:34 AM
Hometown: Singapore

Comment:
This is a nice piece. I like it.S For the naysayers, this article is titled "A Day in Gay America" not "A Day of Every American Gay". If one is so hard up about the Advocate representing everyone then send one in of yourself or someone else you know would like representing. Dont be sitting on your ass in front of the computer being a queen about how Advocate is full of fluff AND still surf it! If you dont like it, dont read it. Go start your own club or magazine or something more meaningful as your heart so desires apparently.
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Name: South Jersey Steve
Date posted: 7/17/2010 12:12:15 AM
Hometown: Mt. Laurel

Comment:
This cover story "fluff piece" is exactly why I canceled my Advocate subscription after subscribing for over 25 years! About every OTHER photo was a celebrity. This is Gay America? There are people who DON'T live in the "gay urban cities" such as LA, SF, and NYC.

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