The gayest horror movie of the 1980s : A Nightmare on Elm Street 2 vs. Fright Night

 Being that it is October, and I was trying to work in a post about two of my most favorite subtextual gay horror movies, I figure why not now. Usually, my blog focuses on the anti-LGBTQ industry, but there are times in which I feel we need a break. Also, I love sneaking little bits of LGBTQ culture in from time to time.

Others may disagree but, in my opinion the two most subtextual gay horror movies of the 80s were A Nightmare on Elm Street Two: Freddy's Revenge (1985) and Fright Night (1985). They come from way back in the day in which openly gay characters weren't dared to be shown on screen, so there were a lot of implications and homoerotic undertones. 

A Nightmare on Elm Street Part 2 is considered by many to be a very subversively gay horror movie. Of course, when I watched it, I was surprised and pleasantly pleased by the amount of male nudity is showed. Now, as our community has moved out of the closet and into the warm glow of sunshine, it turns out that the undercurrent of homosexuality in this movie was in fact intentional.

As further proof of this, you can either watch my friend Matt Baume espouse about it:

 

 

Or just skip to the good stuff: 

    

 And then there was Fright Night which I absolutely adored. This movie was about a young man (Williams Ragsdale) who discovered that his next-door neighbor (Chris Sarandon) was a vampire and rather than simply ignore it (which the vampire actually told him to do), he decides to save the day. 

Unlike Nightmare on Elm Street 2, the gay undertones weren't as blatant. But they were there:

 

 There was one specific scene which I watched repeatedly. It's when the vampire corners the young man's friend (Stephen Geoffreys) in an alleyway. Instead of simply attacking him, he seduces him in a nonsexual (but highly sexually hinted) way:

 

Many of Fright Night's cast members have places in LGBTQ cinema history.

Chris Sarandon (the vampire) received an Oscar nomination for his motion picture debut as Al Pacino's pre-op transgender boyfriend in Dog Day Afternoon. Amanda Bearse (Charley's girlfriend and the damsel in distress) became an LGBTQ icon when she came out while starring in the long running television show Married With Children.

Jonathan Stark (who played the vampire's attendant) later became a television writer and shared an Emmy award for co-writing the landmark episode of Ellen in which Ellen DeGeneres's character came out. Roddy McDowall (Peter Vincent) had been dogged for years about rumors of his sexual orientation. And even Stephen Geoffreys cemented a dubious place in LGBTQ film history by starring in several gay pornographic movies. He has since made a comeback to horror movies.

'Anti-trans 'whistleblower' Jamie Reed called out for another lie' & other Mon news briefs

Jamie Reed

Family Of Missouri Trans Kid: Jamie Reed Lied About Liver Damage, Caused By COVID Drug And Not HRT - Anti-trans 'whistleblower' Jamie Reed has been called out numerous times for lies in her story of alleged bad practices by a gender-affirming care clinic in Missouri. This one is the latest time and also the latest time in which a press - who went all bonkers for Reed - seem to be ignoring the bigger story that there is something really not right here about Reed, her claims, and who she has aligned herself with. 

Extreme anti-LGBTQ+ mayoral candidate won’t apologize for inviting Nazis to candidate forum - This woman should not win her election. 

Meet the Dragon Dads: The Mormon Fathers Fighting for Their LGBTQ+ Kids - We need more like these fathers. 

After years of erasure, Black queer leaders rise to prominence in Congress and activism - And it's about damn time, too. Of course, folks are always willing to omit those like me who may not be as loud but are working to build the framework. 

Muslim parents objecting to LGBTQ picture books used at Ham Lake charter school - This is a really sad situation because none of the books have anything to do with being sexually explicit. These parents simply don't want books with LGBTQ people in them and that is awful. It's an openly blatant attempt at erasure. And it's simply not right to erase people and families even your reasoning is religious.

San Jose leaders condemn anti-LGBTQ group - Glad to see elected officials fighting back.

'New book debunks the 'ex-gay' industry as SCOTUS considers weighing in on conversion therapy bans' & other Thur midday news briefs

New Book Debunks the ‘Ex-Gay’ Industry As Supreme Court Considers Weighing in on Conversion Therapy Bans​ - Okay, I am very biased in amplifying this book. Over 17 years ago, Wayne Besen was one of the inspirations for my blog Holy Bullies and Headless Monsters with his legendary book, 'Anything But Straight' in which he dismantled the 'ex-gay' industry. I'm honored to be able to vouch for this long-awaited follow-up, 'Lies With A Straight Face.' 

 And here is an excerpt courtesy of LGBTQ Nation - Glittering promises laced with lies: A chilling glimpse into the so-called “ex-gay” industry

The Kentucky Gentlemen: New Voices in Country Music - A queer country group of color. Oh I am very interested. 

Transgender Boy's Family Sues North Carolina Officials Over Ban On Gender-Affirming Care For Minors - And I hope he and his family wins.

Drag queens defeat DeSantis again - Appeals court won't lift block on Florida anti-drag law

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis

The drag queens beat DeSantis again. 

From News 10 Tampa Bay:

A federal appeals court Wednesday refused to put on hold a ruling that blocked a Florida law aimed at preventing children from attending drag shows. A panel of the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, in a 2-1 decision, rejected a request by Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration to place a partial stay on a preliminary injunction issued by U.S. District Judge Gregory Presnell. 

 The request, if granted, would have allowed the law to be enforced against almost all venues in the state while an underlying appeal of Presnell’s ruling played out. Presnell issued the injunction in a lawsuit filed by the Orlando restaurant Hamburger Mary’s — but also applied the injunction to venues statewide.

 In seeking the partial stay, lawyers for the DeSantis administration argued that the injunction should only apply to Hamburger Mary’s. 

 “An injunction preventing enforcement of the statute against HM (Hamburger Mary’s) fully protects HM from any … harm,” the state’s lawyers argued in a July motion. “In granting broader relief, the district court irreparably harmed the state by ordering it to refrain from enforcing a duly enacted law designed to protect children from exposure to age-inappropriate, sexually explicit live performances.” 

 In Wednesday’s majority opinion, Judges Adalberto Jordan and Robin Rosenbaum said Presnell ruled that the law was likely overbroad and unconstitutional under the First Amendment. Jordan and Rosenbaum pointed to legal precedents and said, for example, that in “other cases where a law has been found to be overbroad in violation of the First Amendment, we have affirmed injunctions preventing enforcement of a law or ordinance against nonparties as well as parties.”

'Parents in swing suburban district are fighting back against Moms for Liberty' & other Wed midday news briefs

Moms for Liberty meets its match: Parents in this swing suburban district are fighting back - And it's about time, too. 

Ron DeSantis lies to Fox News about Florida’s anti-LGBTQ+ laws​ - When does this man NOT lie? 

George Santos Slapped With 23-Count Superseding Indictment - Gurl bye. 

At least two transgender women will compete in the Miss Universe pageant - Some people are going to HATE this. Oh well.

Video flashback - The Oprah Winfrey Show celebrates the first annual National Coming Out Day

 

 Wednesday is National Coming Out Day or, as I like to think of it, another day when we can remind the haters that we aren't going anywhere, especially not back into the closet. To commemorate this occasion, I am featuring a snippet of The Oprah Winfrey Show in 1988 during the first National Coming Out Day. It's interesting to note how so many things have changed while others unfortunately remain the same. But still nothing should take away the fact that National Coming Out Day is our day and one we have collectively worked hard to get to. We've certainly coming a long way.

 Come out at your own time and on your own pace. Celebrate yourself and your community. And above all, love yourself. You have nothing to be ashamed of.

My blog got a visit from one of Chaya Raichik's goons today

One of Chaya Raichik's goons left a message on my blog today.

My blog got a visit from one of Chaya Raichik's goons on Monday with regards to my post about her harassment of federal employee Tyler Cherry. Whoever it was left this message which I posted in order to curse the person out, then accidentally erased (I have a copy of the email for anyone who wants to see it.)

The message said:

"He is a groomer deserves the rope."

In other words, whoever this is saying that Tyler Cherry is a pedophile and deserves to be hung,

If Raichik saw this and decided to comment, she would either laugh at it or claim that I am committing a fraud.  But the message is not a fraud and she bears full responsibility for it.  Cherry is simply an out and proud queer federal employee. He has done nothing wrong. But how Raichik falsely reframed Cherry's perfectly innocent pictures gave bigots an excuse to attack him.

It's the same manner in which she falsely reframes video and other footage of LGBTQ people and allies to make us seem like pedophiles. She provides an excuse for the hate.  There are people in this world who are not only bigots, but also cowards. They need an excuse to justify their hatred and when it comes to LGBTQ people, designating us as pedophiles and "child groomers" has always been the perfect way to excuse attacks on us from taking away our God-given rights to verbally and physically attacking us. That's what makes Raichik more insidious than your basic anti-LGBTQ bigot.

 She provides the excuses and justifications to slander, demonize and scapegoat us as a people. And she doesn't mind lying to do it.