And the winners of the Best Gay Blogs 2009 Best Gay Blog Awards are:

Our viewers were asked to submit blog nominations for the Best Gay Blogs of 2009 in four categories including Adult Gay Blogs, Gay Entertainment Blogs, Gay Political Blogs and Gay Life/Culture Blogs.

The nominees for “Best Adult Gay Blog” were Aamyko, Chocolate and Salsa, Confessions of a Down Low Brother, Muzophile, My Ministry of Pleasure and Sexy Black Dudes.

The nominees for “Best Entertainment Gay Blog” were  After Elton, Gawker, Greg in Hollywood, Muzophile and New Now Next.

The nominees for “Best Political Gay Blog” were, PageOneQ, Box Turtle Bulletin, ChristianLBGTRights, Focus On The Rainbow and Project Q Atlanta.

The nominees for “Best Gay Life Blog” were About.com Gay Life and Warefare Delightful Dreary Life.

And the winners are:

• Best Adult Gay Blog of 2009 – My Ministry of Pleasure!
• Best Entertainment Gay Blog of 2009 – After Elton!
• Best Political Blog of 2009 – Page One Q!
• Best Gay Life Blog of 2009 – Ramon Johnson’s About.com – Gay Life!

Thank you to all of our over 4800 voters for choosing the Best Gay Blogs of 2009 and thank you to the Blog Masters of all LGBT blogs…you make the world (wide web) a better place for all of us!

While the history of Valentine’s Day is somewhat unclear, we know for certain it has become a day when you celebrate the love you have with your significant other.   With this in mind, many have become critics over the years, and many have become cynical in their thoughts of the day.  Some claim they don’t need a special day to tell the one they love just that.  Others proclaim it is a “Hallmark” holiday geared towards economic gain.  Although I won’t personally dispute either claim, I will stand that I see it in a different light.

No, I don’t need a special day to tell my partner I love them, as this is something I do practically everyday of the year.  I do however appreciate a day, which is set aside as a special day to celebrate that love which is confessed so often.  Valentine’s Day has truly become a day to celebrate love, and in a world where there is so much hatred, especially towards those of us who love someone of the same sex, I personally find it a nice day to remember.

For me however, St. Valentine’s Day has been a celebration of love, even in past years when I’ve not been in a relationship.

So many times, we forget the most important person we need to love, which is ourselves.  You don’t choose whom you love and you don’t choose who loves you, just as you can’t make yourself love anyone, or make anyone love you…with the exception of yourself.

One of my biggest pet-peeves is hearing someone say, “oh, but they make me so happy”, or “they complete me.”  Don’t allow this to be the case.  Learn to be happy with you.  Learn to love yourself and be happy alone, not allowing anyone to complete you, then you will be able to accept those who add to your happiness and reject those who subtract from it.

So whether you’re alone or in a relationship, Valentine’s Day IS a day to celebrate love…the love you have for your family or friends, and most importantly, the love you have for yourself!

Again, be whole, be happy, be complete and love yourself…for without you, the rest of your world would not exist.

Now through December 31st is your chance to vote, and the Best Gay Blogs of 2009 will be announced on January 2nd, 2010!

The nominees for the Best Gay Blogs of 2009 are:

Celebrity Blogs

Afterelton – Gawker

Greg in Hollywood

Muzophile

New Now Next

Political Blogs

Box Turtle Bulletin

Christian LGBT Rights

Focus on the Rainbow

PageOneQ

ProjectQAtlanta

Adult Blogs

Aamyko

Chocolate and Salsa

Confessions of a Down Low Brother

Muzophile

MyMinistryofPleasure

Sexy Black Dudes

Gay Life:

Ramon Johnson’s About.com – Gay Life

warfare-delightful-dreary-life.blogspot.com

So, click below to vote now for your favorite gay blogs of 2009 and THANK YOU for visiting Best Gay Blogs!
Click here to take the survey now. The survey was created with eSurveysPro.com survey software.

The Facts

Over a million Americans are estimated to be living with HIV. Worldwide an estimated 33 million people are living with HIV.

More at: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services!

Nominations will be accepted between Nov 1 – 30 and voting will begin in December. You may nominate as many different blogs as you like, but nominating a blog more than once will not play a factor, as again, voting will commence in December. The winners will be featured for an entire week in January of 2010 and will receive an award. So again, let us know which gay blog(s) you think are the best so if they win, they will get the recognition they deserve!

Thanks again for supporting BestGayBlogs.com and let us know what you think are the BestGayBlogs!

GLBT History Month is endorsed by GLAAD, the Human Rights Campaign, the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, the National Education Association, and other national organizations. In 2006, Equality Forum assumed responsibility for GLBT History Month.

Celebrate Our Heritage

The GLBT community is the only community worldwide that does not learn its history at home, in public schools or in religious institutions. GLBT History Month teaches our heritage, provides role models, builds community and makes the civil rights statement of our extraordinary national and international contributions.

About Equality Forum

Equality Forum is a national and international GLBT civil rights organization with an educational focus. Equality Forum coordinates GLBT History Month, produces documentary films, undertakes high-impact initiatives and presents the largest annual international GLBT civil rights forum. For more information, visit www.equalityforum.com.

Check out the video below, and make sure you come back every day as the video will change and bring you 31 GLBT icon for all 31 days of October!

GLBT History Is American History

“GLBT History Month sends an important message to our nation’s teachers, school boards, community leaders, and youth about the vital importance of recognizing and exploring the role of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people in American history.”

George Chauncey
History Department
Yale University

Watch the video below and find out more at: www.GLBTHistoryMonth.com!

Many of the suicides in the gay community occur while men and women are coming to terms with sexual orientation and gender identity and prior to publicly disclosing these issues. But even within the gay community, the subject of gay suicide is taboo.

Although there is no evidence to suggest that homosexuality is a disorder, there is a fear that talking about suicide reinforces the stereotype: Gay people are all on a long, downhill slide; they are nothing but alcoholics, drug and sex addicts, and in general, society’s losers.

Although studies of psychiatric disorders in the LGBT community are rare, there is evidence of increased rates of diagnosable psychiatric disorders, substance abuse and an alarming rate of suicide in the LGBT community,

Sexual orientation is a complex issue and includes sexual attraction, sexual behavior, sexual fantasy, social preferences and self-identification. Although many in the gay community have reached a point of acceptance of their sexual orientation and made a public disclosure of it, only 45% of men who report having had same sex partners identify themselves as gay, homosexual or bisexual. More men who self-define as heterosexual are having sex with men than are gay-identified men.

Of the 2-7% of all men who report having had a male sexual partner, about ½ of them have at least one symptom related to suicide. Since 4 out of 5 who commit suicide are men, it is likely that a significant portion of the are men who have had difficulty dealing with sexual orientation conflicts, although it is never mentioned in research about causes and prevention of suicide.

Many of the risk factors that are associated with suicide are the same symptoms associated with coming to terms with sexual orientation or gender identity.

Risk factors associated with suicide:

+ Feeling alone
+ Feeling hopelessness
+ Alcohol and drug abuse
+ Guilt
+ History of depression

As men age, additional issues may increase the risk of suicide. The most vulnerable age for men for being depressed is from 45-50 years old. . This finding is consistent around the globe for all types of people, men and women, single and married, rich and poor and with children and without.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, the suicide rate among 45-54 year olds increased dramatically from 1999-2004, far out-pacing other age groups. Several possible explanations are given: a staggering increase in drug overdoses, economic and employment pressures and frayed social support systems.

Additional risk of suicide for mature men:

+ Physical changes related to aging
+ Death of loved ones
+ Serious physical illness
+ Unemployment or financial problems

We must recognize our brothers and sisters of all ages who are continuing to struggle with their sexual orientation or gender identity and whether or not to publically disclose it.

By the age of 50, men and women begin to emerge from these low periods, and assuming good health, a person of 70 is likely to be as happy and mentally healthy as a 20 year old.

A dedicated strategy under a national suicide prevention framework to address the unique risk of suicide in all ages of the LGBT community is needed. Increased awareness within the gay community of who is at risk and the warning signs is also important. Efforts to reduce homophobia, discrimination, and violence directed toward the LGBT community are important to help reduce risks of self-harm.

Critical signs of suicide risk in all age groups:

+ Expressions of hopelessness
+ Anxiety, agitation and irritability
+ Direct or indirect threats
+ Getting affairs in order and giving away belongings
+ Decreased performance in school or work
+ Changes in eating and sleeping
+ Social withdrawal and isolation

Resources available:

o National Institute for Mental Health http://www.nimh.nih.gov
o Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration http://www.samhsa.gov
o Suicide Prevention Resource Center http://www.sprc.org
o Surgeon General’s Call to Action to Prevent Suicide http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/library/calltoaction/default.htm

IF YOU ARE IN CRISIS AND NEED IMMEDIATE HELP: Please call 1-800-273-TALK (8255)

The preceding was contributed by Loren A. Olson, MD, DLFAPA, a Board Certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology and has been engaged in the clinical practice of psychiatry for over thirty years. He has conducted independent research on mature gay men, and he currently is writing a book on the subject of coming out for mature gay men. Dr. Olson and his life partner of over 20 years will be married in Iowa September, 2009.

I saw this little gadget on a few blogs a few years ago and kinda thought it strange, odd, a little weird and just a tad vain. It probably only appeals to the more narcissistic of bloggers I thought at the time. However, that didn’t stop me signing up for it and placing it on my blog and on my Twitter !

I didn’t like it at first, then after a while, it grew on me, it did and although I don’t always do it every single day like I’m supposed to, I do do it regularly! People moan to me if I don’t do it, mind you, having said that, other people have complained when I have done it!

I am talking about taking a daily photo with Daily Mugshot, the website that allows you to take and post a daily photo of yourself, which can be shown like a flicker book in rapid succession. It’s up close and personal, it’s a daily looking into my life that I’m happy to share with the wold no matter how crappy I look. I’m not vain, honestly, when you see my face you’ll see why, but there is just something about seeing how much you change on a daily basis. I didn’t think I would notice a different, but after taking nearly 70 odd snaps with my old webcam, I certainly do.

Daily Mugshot

Is it vain to have a daily photo programme like Daily Mugshot on your blog? Or is it just another exercise in documenting our daily lives, as us bloggers are known for doing? Is watching your changing face each day thrilling or scary, can you actually see the hair grow? Do you sit and look at others daily photo shows, or just your own. Is it the a great invention of social documentation or a narcissistic public mirror? I dunno, but I gotta run and take another mugshot!

Find more by Jason at: Sea Front Diaries!

Let your voice be heard from China to Peru, from Africa to Russia, and from India to the USA! We have readers in 154 countries around the world!

Your opinions and stories count…and the LGBT community is counting on you. Your voice IS important! Here is your opportunity to make a difference and to help get our….and your voice OUT, making the world a better place for all!

No story is too short or too long. No subject is off limits! Let your voice be heard!

If you’re interested in becoming a contributor for BestGayBlogs, please click here or on the “Contact Us” link at the top of the home page.

Thank you!

This Memorial Day Weekend, thousands of men and women will converge on south Florida for the largest social gathering of the year. Sizzle Miami, conceived almost 8 years ago, has grown to become America’s most celebrated and anticipated urban gay event in an atmosphere unparallel to none.

Originally a one-day occurrence, Sizzle has evolved into a 5-day smorgasbord of captivating day-time events, and pulsating nightlife. This Memorial Day Weekend, party-seekers from around the world will convene in sunny Miami,
Florida celebrating life, pride & liberty!

Dates: Thursday 21st May 2009 – Tuesday 26th May 2009

For more information, visit the event’s official website by clicking here!

and…if you’re in the DC area, IT GOES DOWN THIS FRIDAY @LIV AND SUN/MON @EYEBAR

K&C Productions,LLC Presents: The Best of both worlds MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND TRIPLE-PLAY

Friday May 22nd @ Liv Night Club 2001 11th Street NW WDC doors open at 9pm $10 B/4 12AM – $15 After must be 21w/ID
And the party continues – Sun May 24th @ Eyebar – 1716 I Street NW in DC doors open at 9pm $10 b/4 12AM must be 21w/ID

LAST AND FINAL STOP: MONDAY NIGHT 5/25/09- GET DOWN & DIRTY SUMMER BASH THE GROWN & SUPER SEXY PARTY @ Eyebar 1716 I Street NW DC . Our theme for this event is YOU BE SEXY! Doors Open @ 9pm each night at each venue until we say the party is over!

K & C Productions, LLC
Founders/Promoters
www.myspace.com/sugafreesundays
sugafreesundays@yahoo.com