by Bach Polakowski | Jul 13, 2009 | Oriol R. Gutierrez Jr.
Certain phrases prove to be difficult to erase once they have been written into our language. “HIV virus” is one of those phrases. “HIV virus” is redundant. The word “virus” is already included in the acronym of the human...
by Bach Polakowski | Jul 9, 2009 | Oriol R. Gutierrez Jr.
I have a confession to make—Michael Jackson and I shared the same birthday. Twelve years older than me, I admit that he represented a fantasy older brother-like figure in my life when I was younger (I have only one sibling, a sister who is almost 10 years older than...
by Bach Polakowski | Jul 1, 2009 | Oriol R. Gutierrez Jr.
Not surprisingly perhaps, I loved “Charlie’s Angels” for all its campy qualities. I wasn’t physically attracted to Farrah Fawcett Majors (I know it’s just Farrah Fawcett now, but it’s still a reflex of mine to call her by her...
by Bach Polakowski | Jun 30, 2009 | Oriol R. Gutierrez Jr.
It’s easy to criticize obviously unfair or grossly inaccurate coverage. Then there’s the kind of coverage that’s technically fair and accurate, but still feels off base. “I Love You, Man (as a Friend)” is such an article. Written by...
by Bach Polakowski | Jun 22, 2009 | Oriol R. Gutierrez Jr.
I was asked quite unexpectedly last week to be a guest on “Talk of the Nation” on National Public Radio (NPR) to discuss coming out as gay and HIV positive. One of their researchers liked the article (“Coming Out Again”) that I had written for...
by Bach Polakowski | Jun 17, 2009 | Oriol R. Gutierrez Jr.
A recent item in Obit Magazine by writer Michael Schaffer critiqued the U.S. obituaries of Danny La Rue, a famous British drag performer, who died at 81. Here’s an excerpt: “The obits from the British press were magnificent: ‘Beneath huge headdresses...
