I don’t always mix my personal blog and my pro-blog together. I know that my rambunctious political fews aren’t always received in proper context by possible clients and prospects. I did however email a link to my newsletter today for supporting my nomination for the Gay Bloggies. I thought before I sent it out, too. I have no problem with being ‘out at work’ yet still cringe at the word gay from my midwestern upbringing where gay meant not taken seriously or not living happily or not having a family. I’m probably the least ‘fabulous’ of all of those blogs nominated – when I first came out my friend Alan said: Are you gonna write gay plays now? And I said Jesus I hope not they are all so boring and always about AIDS. What I didn’t take into account was the other categories and nominees for the awards – including Best Exhibitionist or Porn Star. I didn’t really take that into account when I sent out the email. I was in the first group of nominees which seemed unlacivious and didn’t really think twice that folks would read the rest of the categories and just scroll down and click vote.
I got this email:
I am somewhat taken aback by your request. Certain ideas of professionalism will always vary. However certain takes are just a bad idea.
As an example I am very political and blog about it under a pen name. Why? Because if mixing my professionalism with my politics can filter the view that people take on my REAL blog. I feel that I have every right in the world to believe what I believe. But what I believe is not relevant in the eyes of a self serving marketplace.
I found your headline request shocking as I didn’t know you are gay. Whatever, so I clicked it as my curiosity got the best of me. I am not prude I assure you but I do find your lifestyle offensive for the reasons of the page. To say you are gay I can care less about. I think it a bad idea unless you audience is all gay, but thats another story. The page you sent me to was like going to a teenage – myspace survey. It not only was sophomoric because of its sexual overtones, it also is just not where I think I would send my visitors. Remember who you send people to, reflects on your judgement.
I only write you as I find your stuff pretty good. And I find the message below in bad judgement. How disappointing.
I wrestle back and forth. Probably not the most appropriate thing for an ezine. At the same time, I cultivate a rowdy ‘brand’ and that is part of being a blogger to a degree. Also, I think I consider my personal blog my real blog – the one I feel is more of a testament. On second thought I probably would not have made it the first thing in the ezine. Ah well. If people don’t like my lifestyle they can jump in a lake. Calling it a lifestyle is really just a linguistic trick to reinforce it’s a choice, you can choose different for all those fundamentalists out there to keep their ex-gay therapy programs going.
ANYWAY – unfortunate if people are offended – probably clumsy on my part.
At least I didn’t start writing about impeachment in my newsletter – now that would be really inappropriate.
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