Jewish singers and songwriters have made great contributions to country and western music.
Jesse's Journal
Jesse Monteagudo is a freelance writer, journalist, writer and activist who is a proud member of South Florida's LGBTQ+ community for almost half a century. His first regular column, "The Book Nook" (1977-2006) was syndicated in a dozen LGBT publications in the United States and Canada and was considered an authority on LGBT literature. Jesse also wrote extensively about LGBT history, plays, movies and (for Toronto's The Guide) a regular column about gay adult cinema. His current, personal opinion column, "Jesse's Journal," began its career in the 1980s and has been published or posted in numerous newspapers, magazines and websites throughout the United States. As an activist, Jesse has served on the Boards of a dozen LGBT organizations. He lives in Plantation, Florida.
Ever since Gutzon Borglum, his son Lincoln and their associates carved the heads of Presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln into the granite face of Mount Rushmore (Six Grandfathers in Lakota), the term “Mount Rushmore” has been used to list the top four figures in almost any category.
As the author of “The Book Nook,” a syndicated column I wrote from 1977 to 2006, I met many interesting writers. One of them was Jay Quinn, who passed away without fanfare (except for an obituary in the Walker’s Funeral Home website) on July 28, 2025.
I wrote this essay a few years ago, back when I had more money to travel. Though things are hard right now, I hope to be able to travel again soon. – Jesse
The Super Bowl, the National Football League’s annual championship, is much more than a game. It is, as Kadir Ustun put it, “an expression of ‘American exceptionalism. Transformed into a full-blown consumption feast with family and friend gatherings, parking lot barbecue parties, first-time commercial breaks, and the halftime show, the game has also become a cultural phenomenon where American identity is celebrated.”
South Florida is a paradise for gay nude recreation. The weather (with some exceptions) allows for year-round naked fun; and though state officials oppose public nudity (and constantly threaten to do away with it), thus far they have allowed South Floridians, residents, and tourists, like, limited freedom to let it all hang out.
Queer books, especially those written by or for LGBTQ youth, continue to be major weapons and casualties in today’s culture war.
Scot Rogers is a South Florida-based businessman and author who began to write books after a career in advertising.
The Illustrated Oxford Dictionary defines philanthropy as “1. a love of humanity [and] 2. practical benevolence, esp. charity on a large scale.”
A longer version of this article was published in Before Stonewall: Activists for Gay and Lesbian Rights in Historical Context, edited by Vern L. Bullough (2002).
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