RockaCandy interviews Raz B, who explains how B2K became ripped-up teenyboppers: "We would do that out of fun and being stupid because all of us had to look tight. In the "Uh Huh" video we were ripped; we were on low carb diets and stuff for a month."

· E. Lynn Harris on the level of disrespect within our own community; "I'm currently writing a character in his 40's who is trying to date. He's looking for a long term relationship, so I looked at all these boards on the internet. The stuff people write! No fats, no femmes, no whites, no queens. It's mean spirited! And I think we've always treated each other that way." ELH brings up a very serious issue which segues into a study that we saw at FoBrothas—Do We Treat Each Other Worst Than The Str8s? Sadly, sometimes that answer is yes.

· MSNBC reports on gay Muslims in the UK, profiling a 30 year-old man named Ubaid who is also the secretary of Imaan, Briatin's only lgbt Muslim group: "Imaan's members feel like they are targets of both a wider society that discriminates against Muslims, and a Muslim community that sees homosexuality as a Western disease. 'Now we're dealing with Islamaphobia within the gay community, and Muslims who say gays can't be Muslims' Ubaid said."

· Ann Coulter doesn't deny plagiarism charges levelled by the New York Post. Instead, she zings the tabloid: "How crappy a newspaper is the Post? Let me put it this way: It's New York's second-crappiest paper." We're assuming that the first would be the Times. BTW, Coulter's syndicator, UPI, has asked for a copy of the plagiarism report.

Danyel Smith returns to Vibe as the EIC. Danyel penned the critically-acclaimed Bliss and had been editor of Vibe from 1997 to 1999. "I have always been a strong supporter and believer in the VIBE brand, and I am thrilled to rejoin as editor-in-chief." We're thrilled that you're returning.

Comments

[macfac2006]

i am sooooo happy that danyel is coming to vibe...i'm not familiar with her work in 97-99 (i started buying when emil was in charge), but anything is better than mimi valdes right now...she's the reason i stopped buying vibe...and trust i was a loyal subscriber...there is a GOD! lol....can't wait to see who she has on the cover for her first issue!

[Trent]

I am confused about E. Lynn Harris and the "no whites" thing he refers to in some personal ads by black gay men. I understand the nastiness of the "no femmes, no fats, etc," but I don't get his reference to the "no whites" thing as being equal to low self-esteem in black gay men or a measurement of self-hate.

Considering the fetishtic treatment of black gay men within many circles of the larger white gay community, the lust for black and brown bodies of African descent, the "no whites" thing seems like a matter of self-preservation, not the return of prejudice--in the majority of cases.

Moreover, I don't understand how showing little interest in white men is a sign of low self-esteem and how it is considered mean spirited. Contrary to the images in gay media, not all black gay men desire white men.

There are attractive white men out there, but I am a black man who prefers the diversity of men of African descent. My self-worth, self-esteem, the validation of myself does not depend on whether a white man desires me or whether I am attracted to a white man. I just have little sexual interest in white men.

Those black men attracted to white men--all the power to them and much happiness! Those white men who become romantically involved with black men from a mutually shared point of respect and friendship, fantastic!

I am really bothered my E. Lynn Harris' comment. He should have elucidated.

Please, I am not writing this for attention. What the comment implied just bothered me.

[Brokeassnigga]

I have not given a shit about Vibe mag since 1996. So why should I care now? Their journalistic skills suck. We all know they got rid of Emil because there were upset with seeing more non-black artists featured. My only question is have they gotten rid of Wyatt Mitchell as Art Director? Why does their Art Director encourage the illustrators to bite off Fine Artists work? It so sub-par! Get some illustrators with originality. That settled, If I see another Lichtenstein, Hirschfield or Basquiat rip-off within their pages I'm going to blow-up their offices.

[dna]

"Considering the fetishtic treatment of black gay men within many circles of the larger white gay community, the lust for black and brown bodies of African descent, the "no whites" thing seems like a matter of self-preservation, not the return of prejudice--in the majority of cases"

So if a white person advertises an ad that says "no blacks" then he is prejudice instead of just a preference?