Errol Rizzuto, a long-time beloved fixture in the New Orleans LGBT community, passed away on October 29. Rizzuto, along with his good friend Robin Malta, was a co-founder of Café Lafitte in Exile’s annual Red Party, which raises money for local charities. Rizzuto also served as the Grand Marshal of Southern Decadence in 1999. In recent years, Rizzuto became very involved in … [Read more...] about In Memoriam: Errol Rizzuto
Traveling Back to 1988 and 1971
Ambush readers of a certain age may remember blueboy. From 1974 to 2007, this glossy magazine featured pictures and centerfolds of naked men. Some people even read the articles. A friend of mine recently dug out his April 1988 issue and showed me an article about New Orleans entitled “New Orleans: Last American Refuge.” I eagerly read the article and while it was mostly … [Read more...] about Traveling Back to 1988 and 1971
The Pox Lover – An Activist’s Decade in New York and Paris by Anne-Christine d’Adesky
The Pox Lover is a personal history of the turbulent 1990s in New York City and Paris by a pioneering American AIDS journalist, lesbian activist, and daughter of French-Haitian elites. In an account that is by turns searing, hectic, and funny, Anne-christine d’Adesky remembers “the poxed generation” of AIDS—their lives, their battles, and their determination to find love and … [Read more...] about The Pox Lover – An Activist’s Decade in New York and Paris by Anne-Christine d’Adesky
Transgender Activist Group Honored at 3rd Annual Oracle Gala
The LGBT+ Archives Project of Louisiana recently honored BreakOUT!, a local transgender youth activist group, at its annual Oracle Gala. Each year the Archives Project honors an individual or an organization that has made a donation of historical materials to a local archival repository. Breakout! recently selected the Newcomb College Institute Archives as the oficial … [Read more...] about Transgender Activist Group Honored at 3rd Annual Oracle Gala
Remembering Rip
I knew who Rip Naquin was long before I knew him as a friend. I had seen him at the bars for years and had even been introduced to him a time or two at various social events. Marsha was always, without fail, at his side. Together, they struck me as an enigmatic couple—mysterious and intriguing, yet aloof and unapproachable. There was something about them that made me want to … [Read more...] about Remembering Rip
The Problem With Republicans
Trump has been in office almost a year now and in that short time, he has managed to confirm his critics’ worst fears. His greed and corruption, his racism and bigotry, his incompetence and ignorance, and his pride and ego are greater than even his harshest critics could have imagined. Many of his voters have seen through his demagoguery and abandoned him. Nevertheless, he … [Read more...] about The Problem With Republicans
An Oral History of the New Orleans Ninth Ward by Caroline Gerdes.
An Oral History of the New Orleans Ninth Ward. Caroline Gerdes. Pelican Publishing Co., 2017. ISBN: 9781455622634. 192 pages. One of the inadvertent legacies of Hurricane Katrina was to give the 9th Ward of New Orleans a certain cultural cache in the national imagination. Prior to the storm, most people had never heard of the neighborhood and it was certainly not on … [Read more...] about An Oral History of the New Orleans Ninth Ward by Caroline Gerdes.
Shane Scallan, Jewelry Designer, Dies at 48
Shane Scallan, Jewelry Designer, Dies at 48 Shane Scallan, 48, lost his battle with cancer on February 8, 2018. He is survived by his mother, Katherine Bordelon of Plaucheville; sister, Buffy James (Michael) of Plaucheville; nieces & nephews, Alie Mayeaux, Nola James, & Michael James, Jr.; aunt, Connie Thevenot. He is also survived by his partner Billy Hogan as well … [Read more...] about Shane Scallan, Jewelry Designer, Dies at 48
Double Play Bar in Transition
The Double Play Bar was recently sold to longtime regular Dr. Randy Speights. Speights, who is from Austin, Texas, and who worked briefly as a stock-broker in New York, has a long track-record of turning around failing bars. While pursuing a pre-med program at the University of Texas, Speights began managing gay bars in Austin, including Uncle Charlies and The Crossing. … [Read more...] about Double Play Bar in Transition
Gay History Goes to the Armeinius Ball
Gay History Goes to the Armeinius Ball The Krewe of Armeinius recently celebrated its golden anniversary as well as New Orleans’ tricentennial at its annual Bal Masque. The theme of the ball was “Nouvelle—Orleans: 300 Years of Fabulous” and featured the following historical characters from New Orleans history: The Lady Bugs of New Orleans (mosquitos, termites, cockroaches, … [Read more...] about Gay History Goes to the Armeinius Ball
