Weekly Checklist (4/24/2023)
This month’s checklist is more of a news report about some important things that have happened that I’d like to share with you.
For Your Social Justice health Health:
This past month, three courageous lawmakers in Tennessee lawmakers took part in a peaceful protest calling for more gun control in the aftermath of a deadly shooting in Nashville at a Christian school where six people were killed, including three children. These heroes—Reps Justin Jones, Justin Pearson and Gloria Johnson—cheered on by people in the visitor’s gallery sick-and-tired of America’s gun violence. In an act of extraordinary political retaliation, Tennessee Republicans expelled the two people of color Democratic lawmakers, Reps. Pearson and Jones. Banishment is a move the chamber has only used a handful of times since the civil war. But an outpouring of support from around the world got the representatives reinstated. And Justin Pearson has emerged as an eloquent spokesperson and a great leader. Here is a wonderful interview with him on “The Breakfast Club.”
Reps Justin Jones, Justin Pearson
For Your Gender Diversity Health:
Hundreds of people took to the streets of West Hollywood to show support and solidarity for the LGBTQ+ community as several anti-trans and anti-drag bills have been popping up across the country. "I'm a drag queen,” said one gloriously dressed protestor. We're fighting for our rights here. It's not also just about drag queens, it's about trans rights, it's about queer rights, and if you're going to try to ban my existence, that's a big deal."
On March 2, Republican Gov. Bill Lee of Tennessee signed a bill into law that restricts public drag show performances, making his state the first to do so this year. The law is set to limit "adult cabaret performances" on public property so as to shield them from the view of children.
"An attack across this country on drag symbolizes another attack against all of us," said West Hollywood Mayor Sepi Shyne.
For Your Cultural Health—In Memorium: Michael Denneny (1943-2023).
Doug with Acclaimed Editor Michael Denneny
Gay author Edmund White has shared the heartbreaking news that Michael Denneny, a true pioneer of modern gay publishing, has died this past month (1943–2023). Michael was a giant of the publishing world and a personal friend of mine. He was part of that group of people in New York who held a place for struggling gay authors, cultivating them, publishing them, loving them. As a senior editor at St. Martin’s Press, Michael Denneny furthered the literary careers of Randy Shilts, Ethan Mordden, Christopher Davis, John Fox, Allen Barnett, Paul Monette, Nisa Donnelly, Rabih Alameddine, Ernesto Maestre, Larry Duplechan and many others I cannot name through memory. Michael was more of Lou Grant than Lou Grant and a heck of a lot nicer, so caring, so gay, so full-of-life, so knowledgeable, so ready to talk about sex, philosophy, business, and the news. His upper west apartment had a wonderful library of hard-cover books. He published my first novel, “Sacred Lips of the Bronx,” and changed my life. For more on this great man, see this link from my article on “Medium.”
For Your Artistic Health—Support Your Local Artist! :-)
“Dreaming The Dead Father,” Acrylic, Douglas Sadownick
Most people know me as Dr. Doug here, as a psychotherapist and professor with thirty years experience. But the truth of the matter, is that I consider myself also an artist. I helped to start and run Highways Performance Art Space in 1989, toured with acclaimed performance artist Tim Miller in our “Buddy Systems” and also toured with two troupes, “Jew Meat,” and “Queer Rite.” I have also, as part of my inner work, been painting my feelings, my shadow, my dreams and my erotic visions. I have thousands of inner-work paintings. A little birdie sat on my shoulder and said, “share these with the people as it might be nice for folks to see how useful it is to do inner work at home and to meet, love and own the inner people of the psyche. So I am now “coming out” as an artist and have even started my own shopify. Feel free to take a gander, and feel free to buy a framed picture at a very reasonable price, ideally to support your own inner work!?
Here is the shopify link: