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Huckleberries Online

Sexist: Homophobically Fabulous CdA

The men about town in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho want to be fabulous. You can tell from their bare chests, draped in button-downs unbuttoned past their pecs. You can tell from the wingspans of their long-sleeved crew-necks, illustrated with flowers and encrusted with rhinestones. You can tell by their goatees—finely tuned, from mustache to soul patch. These men want to be fabulous, but what they really, really don’t want to be is gay—you can tell by their incessant dropping of homophobic epithets/Amanda Hess, The Sexist blog, Washington City Paper. More here.

DFO: I don’t know anything about the Sexist column in the Washington (D.C.) City Paper. But I thought this article about an easterner’s view of the men in Coeur d’Alene was interesting.

20 comments on this post so far. Add yours!
  • redman on August 12 at 9:45 a.m.

    Were those the three guys throwing baggies with a rock and a flyer in them?

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  • toadman on August 12 at 9:52 a.m.

    Since moving here in '03, I've definitely noticed a bit of, well, “backwards-ness” regarding sexuality. So yeah, I'd say, in general, people in the Inland Northwest are above average on the homophobia scale. Like I always tell visitors: “Welcome to the Inland Northwest, please set your social clock back 50 years.” (actually, our pediatrician told us that first. heh…)

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  • OrangeTV on August 12 at 12:07 p.m.

    That was absolutely the most bananas thing I've read in ages, and I'm not quite sure what to make of it. Was the writer trying to be funny? Fail.

    Maybe I'm either unperceptive or lucky, but I've seen almost no homophobia while out and about in the night scene of Coeur d'Alene over the years. There are always a few a-holes, as there are in any town anywhere, but for the most part there's mixed crowds at all the clubs and everyone gets along fine. Where was this girl hanging out, Chillers?

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  • Kage_Mann on August 12 at 12:29 p.m.

    Toadman, forgot to say that he's from Spokane, so he's providing the “Spokane' perspective.I'm glad I live in NI;no way would I want to live in Dallas or Seattle.Even though the other day I seen someone with a mohawk?

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  • OrangeTV on August 12 at 12:43 p.m.

    OMG. Stop the friggin' press. A mohawk in Coeur d'Alene. What is this town coming to ?!? Next thing you know, men are going to start piercing their ears and respectable ladies will be wearing skirts above the ankles!

    Really, Kage Mann, you don't get out much, do you? And I'm not even going to take the bait with the homophobic subtext of your comment. Maybe some time in a city would do you some good and open up that narrow mind of your a bit.

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  • spokelooneh on August 12 at 12:45 p.m.

    “Since moving here in '03, I've definitely noticed a bit of, well, “backwards-ness” regarding sexuality.”
    -toadman

    Moreso than TEXAS?

    Good lord.

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  • Kage_Mann on August 12 at 1:05 p.m.

    Orange, it's just plain nutty to be sporting a mohawk.I seen a guy the other day wearing jeans below his butt and some wear
    shorts down past their knees.Must we be like Seattle?

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  • toadman on August 12 at 1:13 p.m.

    “Moreso than TEXAS?

    Good lord.”

    Well, I grew up in rural Texas, but within driving distance of a very metropolitan area that had a sizable gay community….so, I got the joy of experiencing both sides of Texas. In the country I was called a fag, because I quit football and joined the band and theater. That's all it took. In the city, nobody really cared whether I played sports or not.

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  • toadman on August 12 at 1:15 p.m.

    “Orange, it's just plain nutty to be sporting a mohawk.” - Kage

    Oh? How so? I've seen a few guys over here with mohawks of different types. They seem to be making a comeback, I've no problem with that…

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  • OrangeTV on August 12 at 1:20 p.m.

    Kage, I had friends with mohawks in high school 20 years ago. Right here in CDA. The baggy pants look is at least as old. Heck, I have a pair of shorts that go below the knee. So what? People sport these looks here, in Seattle, in Waukesha, in Mazatlan, in Hong Kong and pretty much everywhere. You ought to try looking beyond appearances sometime, you'd be surprised to learn that everyone has a story you might be able to learn something from.

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  • toadman on August 12 at 1:20 p.m.

    I forgot to mention that I was also called a fag for taking Home Economics in high school, instead of the other elective that was offered, Shop.

    I never understood that one, though…there were LOTS of girls in my home ec class, man.. lots…and they ALL loved me. I knew what I was doing.

    ;-)

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  • toadman on August 12 at 1:23 p.m.

    I'm beginning to think Kage doesn't see people, just labels.

    It's a very conservative notion, it seems to me, to desire everyone around oneself to look, dress, and act the same as oneself. Diversity is a sin. Wait…I wonder if some people here live in Black and White.. is this “Pleasantville?”

    ;-)

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  • BlueinIdaho on August 12 at 1:33 p.m.

    Yep, Toadman, for some its all about labels. If you support any type of health care reform you are instantly a “pinko, socialist, cosmopolitan drinking, arugula eating commie who steals from elderly people and kills babies”.

    Flag as inappropriate

  • Cindy H on August 12 at 1:35 p.m.

    Hmm…I wonder what Kage would most NOT like to see at his next Burger King visit— A pierced, mohawked, baggy-pants wearing dude, or mother nursing her child.
    Hmm…

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  • toadman on August 12 at 1:38 p.m.

    “…cosmopolitan drinking, arugula eating commie who steals from elderly people and kills babies.”

    That's what I like to call “Every Saturday Night.”

    ;-)

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  • Fishwife on August 12 at 1:42 p.m.

    Wow, this discussion is all so..so..gay.

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  • spokelooneh on August 12 at 2:05 p.m.

    Am with ya there, toadman. Hell, I joined the band in 7th grade for one reason, and one reason only. Had a crush on a cute little clarinet playing lassie. My trumpet playing buddy asked me, “So what instrument are you going to learn to play?” Me: “I dunno.” Him, incredulous: “YOU DON'T KNOW!!!?” Me: “I'll figure that out shortly. I'm here for the girl.”

    Flag as inappropriate

  • Flag as inappropriate

  • Kage_Mann on August 12 at 5:45 p.m.

    Cindy H on August 12 at 1:35 p.m.

    Hmm…I wonder what Kage would most NOT like to see at his next Burger King visit— A pierced, mohawked, baggy-pants wearing dude, or mother nursing her child.
    Hmm…

    Cindy, I don't want to see a woman with a mohawk and baggy-pants nursing her child, while I'm trying to eat my whoppers at Burger Scream.

    Flag as inappropriate

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About this blog

D.F. Oliveria is a columnist and blogger for The Spokesman-Review. Huckleberries Online was judged the best 2008 Idaho newspaper blog by the Idaho Press Club. And the best 2007 news blog in the Pacific Northwest by the Society for Professional Journalist. Print Huckleberries is a past winner of the Herb Caen Memorial Column contest by the National Association of Newspaper Columnists. The Readership Institute of Northwestern University cited this blog as a good example of online community journalism.

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