Journal of Communication and Media Research
This paper looks back at the groundbreaking gay film Brokeback Mountain. It is still considered one of the most successful mainstream gay films to date. But what made the film so successful? The paper looks at how Brokeback contained the critical elements needed for mass consumption: a straight director with gay sensibilities, global appeal due to its Western setting, inclusion of Oscar-bait actors and themes and last but not least hypermasculine gay male characters. Using genre theory as the foundation, the paper outlines how Brokeback proliferated its own genre that many of today’s LGBTQ films have tried to mirror. Conclusively, this study demonstrates that while the film has its flaws, it was the director’s artistic choices mixed with the film’s intrinsic cinematic elements that made it more accessible to mainstream audiences, thus creating a viable blueprint for an emotionally satisfying and financially successful queer film. Published April 2019 (Vol 11, Issue 1).
Mr. Roo
On just about every farm there is always an unruly rooster who things he and only he rules the roost. My farm is no different, and in this short story, I describe a typical day of chaos created by Mr. Roo and how I managed to endure all his shenanigans.
Modern Love
My short story, “Modern Love,” is featured in Island Stories, a short story anthology edited by Melissa McCann. The story centers on Scott who is making the trek all the way to Vashon Island, thinking he’s going to dinner with his oldest friend. If only she wasn’t determined to set him up with the perfect date… It’s not like Scott can’t make his own love connections. The evening ends in a way that never one of them had expected.
Communication Currents
My essay “Assorted Nuts in Peanuts,” which outlines how the iconic comic strip was well ahead of its time in regards to racial, gender and sexual diversity, appeared in the October 2009 issue of Communication Currents, a publication of the National Communication Association.
LGBTQ America Today: An Encyclopedia
My entry, “African Americans and LGBTQ Issues,” is included in this reference text that gives students and general readers a current guide to the people and issues at the forefront of contemporary LGBTQ America.
American Communication Journal
This article, based on my doctoral dissertation, examined how the portrayals of gays and lesbians on network and cable television affect gay youth as they come to terms with their sexual identities. Content analysis was performed on specific episodes to determine the authenticity of the gay character and the character’s integration into the storyline. This data was triangulated with interviews of media professionals and gay youth. Published Fall 2007 (Vol 9, Issue 3).
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