Robert StGenis Voice empowered

Hamburger Mary's I was at Hamburger Mary's in Long Beach Sunday at a 4:00 PM over Memorial Day weekend for a drag show and "linner" or early dinner. Every show earlier was booked, affirming that we all needed to get out of our homes! My cousin's best friend Matt (and if I look at this logically it's my cousin who has been one of my closest friends since teen years, daughter's best friend) and his boyfriend joined us. His boyfriend who is charming, attractive and not quite 21. I was having a conversation, most of which was drowned out by very loud music, with someone who might have parents younger than me. I like to think of myself, and am often affirmed to be perceived as, younger physically. Even when one knows my age (52), I work hard to relate across generations but this might have easily become more awkward for us both if not interrupted by loud entertainment. I say that and I also realize that it's really me that seems to worry or be bothered. Non...

In the beginning of 2019, we had a series of "blackface" incidents that came under the spotlight in the United States. One recent, but the other two, of US politicians no less, are history coming to surface. Most bothersome to me, though, was that these were people of my generation. Governor Ralph Northam increased the insult with fumbling through his apology, initially saying the photo does not represent who he is now. That, along with a track record he can point to, one might take as genuine. A day later, he denied the initial photo but said he wore blackface as a part of a costume as Michael Jackson and was about to demonstrate his moon-walking skills before his wife stopped him, suggesting it was inappropriate. Some defenders suggested that it was the sentiment of the time. It was the 1980s. That is my time as well. That is the time of Michael Jackson and the Cosby Show (we will just focus on all the positives of the show). I grew up watching The Jeffersons, Good Times, a...