What a year this has been? A year is finally coming to an end and a year will be not be forgotten for decades to come. Despite the lockdowns, the outbreaks, deaths and losses; there has been some good moments for everyone in the LGBTQ+ family. At the center of it all has the Coronavirus, Covid19, which gets its name from the year that it was identified, 2019.
We learned words like social distancing, pandemic, and efficacy. In addition, we learned how vaccines are created and how modern science has evolved from the early years of smallpox, measles and mumps; viruses that have since been eradicated. In the same breath, we also witnessed the importance of our government’s role in protecting the country from future pandemic diseases and viruses.
It’s no wonder after witnessing the ineffectiveness of the current administration that in an unprecedented election process that records were shattered on voting early, absentee and mail-in voting which resulted in electing a new administration. For many of our readers, the ineffectiveness of government during an epidemic is reminiscent of the Reagan administration ignoring the AIDS crisis during the 1980s and all the lives lost from not responding to a crisis that plagued gay Americans. This dark chapter in American history will be bookmarked by the hope of vaccine to rid Covid19 and administration that has attacked democracy, the press and any social decorum that we took for granted from elected officials.
I decided to write this series from the first time I started my blog as a gay man who moved from the Midwest to New York City to become a fashion designer. I like to look back at the year and document the memories of my life and the events that shaped my worldview and continues to expand my knowledge and viewpoint.
In my life, I noticed some life changing moments in my life. I had a dear friend and co-host of my podcast, The Dirty Gay Show, Brian Miceli, move out-of-state to Florida. Events and bars shutting down which was the livelihood of my show and left me feeling lost and crippled to create content. I wasn’t fully aware of myself and that I was suffering with depression. I didn’t feel like I was depressed because I was still employed, by the way, I was one of the lucky ones who didn’t get furloughed as a flight attendant for an airline. I noticed in my sleep pattern or lack thereof as well as my disinterest in writing for the site.
I had a writer and ally, Kris Avalon, who kept the ship afloat and didn’t allow the site to sink and force me to continue to work behind the scenes to make sure that his work wasn’t all in vain. I dropped the ball before and our site crashed and we lost months worth of work, mainly Kris’ work, and I vowed that I will never let that happen ever again.
So it’s fitting that I will be returning to my podcast on Christmas Day, Friday December 25th as a gift to the queer podcast industry which sporadic and fickle at times but is necessary for our culture. In the coming year, I will be launching more content on YouTube with videos on various topics, stories, events and more. Thank you to our readers, listeners and watchers of this site and our shows its your silent support that keeps us going. If you have a chance, please like, subscribe and watch our YouTube channel. The more subscribers we have the more we can meet the standards of YouTube and create more content including live-streaming.
Rick Easley