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NOV
2008
7 DAYS7 NIGHTS
Tensions Amidst Victory
New president-elect cites “steep climb” as local ugliness mars evening
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Politics
BY DUNCAN OSBORNE
T
he race between JohnMcCain and Barack Obama wasn’t the only contest happening on Novem- ber 4. In the rear of GymSportsbar, the Stonewall Riotsfaced the Gym Griffins in a game of pool. With televisions blasting theelection results and the crowdcheering as CNN called onestate after another for Obama,the match grew increasingly impossible to play as patronspressed nearer to the pooltable and ignored pleas fromthe Griffins and the Riots togive them some room.“I was pretty upset,” saidRose Ng, captain of the Riots.“I don’t think we should beplaying on election night... It’sdifficult to focus on two thingsat once.”Both teams belong to theNew York Gay Pool League, which has raised and donated$250,000 to local AIDS andgay groups since it started25 years ago. The current 11teams in the league, which aresponsored by local bars, meet on weeknights to play matchesof best-of-15 games.During a game, players get one minute to make a shot while another player actingas the ref prowls around thetable, holding a cell phone tokeep track of the time, andoccasionally calls out theseconds left. Usually they donot also contend with CNNand a mob.“It is both a hindrance anda great way to relax,” saidChris Bess, co-captain of theGriffins. As the evening continued,the crowd at the Eighth Ave-nue bar, those who gatheredin other places, and even New Yorkers who later were trav-eling home by subway after watching Obama crush McCa-in, were cheering and chant-ing “Obama.” The celebratory mood was understandable.President George W. Bushhas dragged the nation intotwo endless wars, wreckedthe American economy,trashed the liberties in the USConstitution that protect tax-payers, and run up stagger-ing federal deficits. Bush has been no friend to the queer community. While Obama supporters,including many in the gay community, partied, the eve-ning also had its share of dis-sonant moments that shouldhave reminded celebrants that the heady expectations of vic-tory would have to give way topolitics and what is possible. The president-elect nod-ded to that in his post-votespeech that was broadcast from Chicago.“The road ahead will belong, our climb will be steep,”Obama said. “We may not get there in one year or even oneterm, but America, I havenever been more hopeful thanI am tonight that we will get there. I promise you, we as a people will get there.”Earlier in the speech, thecrowd of roughly 300 watch-ing in the Lesbian, Gay, Bisex-ual and Transgender Com-munity Center on West 13thStreet stood and cheered whenObama included “gay” in thelong list of Americans who hadsupported his candidacy. Another successful Demo-cratic contender for presi-dent, William Clinton, oftenhit the right notes when talk-ing to the gay community. At a 1992 Los Angeles fundraiser,Clinton told 400 gay men andlesbians “If I could wave my arm for those of you who areHIV-positive and make it goaway tomorrow, I would do it,so help me God I would. If Igave up my race for the WhiteHouse and everything else, I would do that.”It was a powerful moment for an audience that lost many friends to AIDS during the ’80sand had yet to see the anti-HIV drugs that have since savedmany gay men. We now know that new HIV infections among gay and bisexual men increasedthroughout Clinton’s twoterms and over the past eight years with Bush in the WhiteHouse.Clinton also approved themilitary’s Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy that has cost near-
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THU.NOV.6
GALLERY Art We CanBelieve In
Politics and art? As impossible amix as oil and water? Hardly. Has thereever been a more powerful anti-warmessage than Picasso’s “Guernica”?2008 has proven that Americans wantto engage in politics again. To cel-ebrate the excitement now bubblingas the coming election approaches, ArtGotham chose the timely theme “Elec-tion 2008” for its biannual “SquareFoot Show.” Artists were provided with12” x 12” canvases and asked to thinkpolitically as they created works for theshow. Nothing like a tough assignmentfor producing amazing results.
192Sixth Ave., btwn. Spring & PrinceSts. 1-6 p.m. through Nov. 9.
For moreinformation, visit artgotham.com.
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THEATERPassion Unspoken
The New Group presents the USpremier of Kevin Elyot’s “Mouth toMouth,” a play that opens with Frank,a gay writer living with AIDS, attend-ing a party thrown by his friend Laurato celebrate the return of her teenageson from abroad. The story is a haunt-ing, twisting tale of undeclared passionand the fine line between intimacy andbetrayal. Mark Brokaw directs.
AcornTheatre, 410 W. 42nd St. Mon., Wed.-Sat., 8 p.m.; Tue., 7 p.m.; Sat.,2 p.m. through Dec. 27.
Tickets are$56.25 at ticketcentral.com or 212-279-4200.
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COMEDYHomo Comicus
Michael Brill hosts an evening ofqueer and queer-friendly comics includ-ing actress Jackie Hoffman, fresh fromher turn in Broadway’s “Xanadu,” thebig gay pimpin’ Jonny McGovern, JimDavid, Becky Donohue, Leah Dubie,and Dave Rubin.
Gotham ComedyClub, 208 W. 23rd St., 7:30 p.m.
Thecover charge is $15, with a two-drinkminimum. For reservations, call 212-367-9000.
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POLITICSNow What?
The Queer Justice League, a groupof LGBT progressives dedicated tochange through coalition with othersocial activist organizations, holds aforum tonight looking at the electionresults and contemplating next steps.
LGBT Community Center, 208 W.13th St., 8 p.m.
CAREERS
As the LGBT crowd cheered Barack Obama’s victory at Room Service, out lesbian City Council Speaker Christine Quinn appeared to celebrate,but was interrupted by activist Ira Manhoff (seen here being hustled away by security), who objected to her efforts on extending the city’sterm limits law. Quinn urged security to allow Manhoff to stay.
M I C H A E L T . L U O N G O
CHALLENGES
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