On The Down Low

Down Low Reprint.

Some Thing to think about.

This was posted a few years ago but I ran into a situation today that brought it all back!!!

Hello Jazz Lovers,
It is a beautiful day.

I have just Finished rereading J.L.Kings "On The down low" and realize he cashed in!! It is Hype for Women. I think I will Blog about my findings..He has finally admitted that he is Gay and yet does not want to be a part of the gay community! I understand that, he still has a lot of self hatred in his own life and made money on it..I offer no disrespect to the Man it is his life after all. I just see it differently that's all.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJydWQ4DXr4              Nhojj     "Me and U"

  I was born at the end of the 1940's and grew up in the 50's and 60's, I knew I was different very early in life and was not really like other Boys even though I like doing boy things and really enjoyed being a boy!
As I grew I began to understand what was what, I knew Fem guys and realized early that I was not "Like That". But at the time it was serious business not to be visible, the messages from Church, Family, and Society was not accepting of Same gender loving men or Women although for women they often got a pass due to men's fantasies of two women together. but for men it was totally taboo! 80% of the same gender loving men were on the DL or Closet the stakes were just too high to be visible, so a separate society was formed with in a society. There were meeting places, parks, greyhound, almost anywhere and He is right it is always eye contact.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hlVBg7_08n0         Macklemore and Ryan Lewis   "Same Love."

In the 20's,30's 40's and 50's there was a code for those "In The Life" Certain color ties, The color of Hankies in a suit pocket, certain code words known in the cities example The term "A friend of Dorothy's". But as a whole a complete life to hide..When the gay revolution started in the late 60's, 1968 to be exact, things began to change in the White communities in larger cities but small towns and the south stayed the same even until today! We could not allow relationships to become visible in the Black Community, so the DL became a way of life..It will take decades for that to change..But no one is free until all are free!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pB-5XG-DbAA          Sam Smith       "Stay With Me"

The one good thing about his book is alerting women not to live in denial about their men it really can save their lives. But until the stigma of Men loving Men is removed DL men will be around for a long time.. He climes to accept his Homosexuality but if you really listen to him it is obviously clear that he does not. I do understand his thinking, All through time you are told your natural being is wrong and that you are not suppose to exist is a very hard row to hoe! people still think it is a choice. The only choice open to men is to live your life or live a lie. It is like Bleaching Cream is still one of the biggest selling products around the world. When You question my color you are questioning God and his creation, it is the same with sexuality. The DL was created by the society in which we live.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cEXhZ8PwM-Y     Brian and Thomas Owens    "A Change is Gonna Come"

My Next Blog. Repercussions.. Cause and Effect.

Until next time Jazz Lovers,
Keep the beat.

D.W. Jazzlover

Kerry Rhodes Needs Someon to believe In.

Hello Jazz lover.
Kerry Rhodes in the news one more time..Kerry needs someone to believe in and they keep letting him down. Russell "Hollywood" Simpson did a serious job on Kerry's career when he attempted to Out him in 2014. Outing someone is a serious No-No in my generation. I am happy that Russell did not profit from his big mouth. Enough about him though. I am concerned about Kerry he seems a very nice Man or these things would have not happened to him. If he is Gay and that is a big IF! He breaks the stereotype of a gay man. Society is not ready to have their blinders taken off, they just can not accept that a man can be masculine, good at Sports and be Gay! Look at Jason Collins. Just by this "Hollywood's" word of mouth his career was over. Thru no fault of his own..As Long as that fool would have kept his mouth shut everyone would have kept their blinders on! I have been on this earth a long time and I know for a fact everyone always know and it is acceptable as long as it is not spoken! I call these open secrets. By No Means is he the only one in sports! That is proven by how many come out after their Playing Days are over! Good Morning! Welcome to Reality! Kerry was Out and could not get back in and then he grasped at straws instead. The age old formula, "He got Married!" The complete proving ground for Heterosexuality!!  He found a woman and GOT Married!! HELLO! Using Marriage as the symbol of Masculinity has always been the biggest Joke to me, It is so funny because it is so sad. Do I believe he married this woman because he loved her? Absolutely not! 

I love photos and I have written here earlier post on  each steep Kerry Rhodes Journey so far. I am writing about this because for some reason he has touched my heart. The Body language with Kerry is very telling and when I got to the wedding Photo I tripped a little. All the Groomsmen are Black and all the brides maids are white all the way down to the flower girls and ring bares. Coincidence? I think not, but it got my attention. The body language in the following photos speak for themselves.

It is a V.

Comfortable.

Space

Comfortable.

That brings us up to today! After 6 months of marriage Mrs. Rhodes announced that it was over. I could speculate but I am not. This Life belongs to him and I can only wish him well. I love Kerry Rhoads just as I love Jason Collins. I hope Kerry finds himself and live for himself. I hope one day Society realizes a man can love another man and still be a Man.. That society Learn a Gay Man Can play Football, Basketball, and Baseball just as well as heterosexual men. I long for the day Love Can be Free to Love. I don't know if Kerry Rhoads is Gay or not, it will not impact my life in any way form or fashion. But I care about him and it hurts that he trusted someone and they let him fall, that is never good.

We Jazz Lovers that is my say today. I leave you with one Artist tonight. This is For You Kerry Rhodes..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jcO1xx3Mu_M       Someone to Believe in  Randy Crawford.


Until Next time Jazzlovers

Keep The beat!

D W Jazzlover.

A 15 Year Old gets a Lesson On Love...

9 August 2017

A 15 Year Old gets a Lesson On Love...

Hello JazzLovers


A Life Lesson at 15.

The Summer of my 15th year, I worked summers at the local Juke Joint in Acers Homes in Houston. My Mom was a friend of the owner and a regular there. I stocked the beer boxes and cleaned just to listen to the juke box. Even though I was not supposed to I also served in the evenings,( My Mom was there so in those days it was Ok.) That summer a man about 50 years old would come in as sit in a corner drinking beer and playing the blues. He would drink every night and go home at midnight. I somehow started him to talking to me when I served him, he was quiet yet very nice and polite. 

 

  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WV9oeKObJd4         Today I sing The Blues    Aretha Franklin

Finally he started to tell me his story. When he was 19 he go into some trouble with some of his wilder friends and went to prison for 30 years.. An older man (27) took him under his wing as his protector, as the years went by they became lovers, he said this was the only person that had ever touched him with kindness or tenderness. As time went on he opened up more to me and one day at the end of the summer we were alone in the bar, my mom had not come in yet and the owner Martha was working in the back. When I served him his beer, he asked me to sit for a minute. I was happy to because he was always so sad.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jcO1xx3Mu_M      Someone to believe in. Randy Crawford

 

He began to tell me about this love and how it developed and how lone·ly and lost he was without him and that he was not adjusting to being out of prison, he only went to work to the bar and home, he had no friends everyone he knew was gone. My heart went out to him but at 15 I didn't know what to say so I gave him his next beer on the house. It was getting close to the end of the summer and the next week I was to return to Louisiana for school. I sat with him all that week when the bar was slow and listened to his stories. I really hated to say goodbye on my last night he gave me a cross ball pint pin that I still have.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CBbloxAgBCc            Just You Just Me  Ann Peepbles

I looked forward to the next summer hoping to see him and how he was doing. Monday I went tot the U an I to get my job back and anticipated seeing him that evening but he did not show. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and the rest of the week he did not come. Saturday I asked Martha what had happened to him. She told me that the week after I left he broke into a place and waited for the police, was arrested and sent back to prison. I smiled. I understood. His Love was stronger than a freedom with no joy. I never forgot him and I never will. I do so hope his love was still there, I know they had stayed in touch through the mail.

 

So Many Men never know what it is Like to really be Loved.

I am so grateful for that lesson because I have known Love.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zamJkPhtCJk        I Just Love The Man    The Jones Girls

 

 

Well Jazzloves Until next time.

 

Keep The beat.

 

DW Jazzlover