Sunday, October 27, 2019

THE SACRED SAINTS OF ANTINOUS 2019



HERE are the nominations for Gay Saints of Antinous for 2019 (Anno Antinoo 1908)

The priests of Antinous are deliberating on these nominations and will announce their decision at Foundation Day ceremonies at the Hollywood Temple of Antinous on 30th October.

Then the names of the new saints will be added to our LIST OF SAINTS.

The nominees are:

AS SAINTS OF ANTINOUS

1)BRUCE BELLAS aka Bruce of LA – (1909-1974) photographer Bellas was born in Alliance, Nebraska and was a chemistry teacher there until 1947, when he began photographing bodybuilders in Los Angeles, California. In 1956, Bellas launched his own magazine, The Male Figure.His impact on physique photography is largely felt and recognized, and the works of Robert Mapplethorpe, Herb Ritts, and Bruce Weber are widely considered to be influenced by Bellas' pioneering style. 

2) PAEDO OF ELIS - Born in the last years of the 5th century BCE, Phaedo was a native of Elis and of high birth. He was taken prisoner in his youth, and passed into the hands of an Athenian slave dealer; being of considerable beauty, he was forced into prostitution.  According to Diogenes Laërtius he was ransomed by one of the friends of Socrates. The Suda says that he was accidentally present at a conversation with Socrates, and pleaded with him to effect his liberation. Phaedo was present at the death of Socrates in 399 BC, and was young enough for Socrates to stroke his hair which was worn long in the Spartan style.That Phaedo was friends with Plato seems likely from the way in which he is introduced in Plato's dialogue Phaedo which takes its name from him. He went on to form his own school of philosophy.

3)SCOTTY BOWERS (July 1, 1923 – October 13, 2019) Was a famous Hollywood bartender, male prostitute and procurer.  After working his way through the Depression in Chicago, he fought in the Pacific, including at the Battle of Iwo Jima, during World War II, losing his brotherand two close friends. According to his memoir, his sexual career began in 1946 while he was working as an attendant at a gas station located at 5777 Hollywood Boulevard, at the corner of Van Ness Avenue. In 1950 Bowers stopped working at the service station and began working as a party bartender, while continuing his sexual services. Bowers was never prosecuted by the authorities for his activities; he kept all his contact information in his head. The actor Beach Dickerson willed three houses to Bowers and cinematographer Néstor Almendros bequeathed him his Oscar.

4)PAUL LYNDE, actor and comedian, known for his role as Uncle Arthur in Bewitched and as the "center square" in Hollywood Squares. Paul pushed the limits of comedy, making innuendos that were almost censored but not quite. He never publicly "came out," but his homosexuality was a worst kept secret in Hollywood. He spoke his mind, and had us laughing in spite of ourselves. 

5)HIRAGA GENNAI - 1728 – 1780 A brilliant author, painter, scientist, and inventor who wroteextensively on gay life in Edo Japan, including a famous guide to gay brothels. 

6)KING CHRISTINA OF SWEDEN - 1626 – 1689 An iconic young Swedish monarch who thwarted their gender assigned at birth and advocated for religious tolerance.

7)THE CHEVALIER D'EON - 1728 – 1810 A duellist, soldier, and spy who lived half their life as a man, then the last half as a woman, and would use their androgyny and mimicry in their spy work. 

8)PEDRO PABLO ZAMORA - Born 29 February 1972 Died 11 November 1994.He was one of the first openly gay men living with AIDS to be portrayed in popular media. Pedro brought international attention to HIV/AIDS and LGBT issues and prejudices through his appearance on MTV’s reality television series “The Real World: San Francisco”.Pedro’s romantic relationship with Sean Sasser was also documented on the show; their relationship was later nominated by MTV viewers for the "Favorite Love Story" award and the broadcast of their commitment ceremony was the first same-sex ceremony in television history.

9)JOHN GIORNO, AIDS activist and fundraiser. An American poet who founded a not-for-profit company to bring poetry to new audiences. Organized the Dial-A-Poem events with contributions by William Burroughs, John Ashbery. Robert Rauschenberg + Robert Mapplethorpe. Became the target of Spiro Agnew for his political beliefs. He celebrated queer sexuality during the 60s + 70s + his entire life. An artist who also created poem paintings connecting words + images. 


AS MARTYR SAINT

MARIELLE FRANCO was a brazilian black lesbian activist congress woman who was murdered by shots on march 2018 in Rio. She was a member of Socialism and Liberty Party that is known for fighting for LGBTQ, black people and women rights and she was reporting police violence in the favelas before she was killed. Until now this case stays unsolved and police states that the proofs against this crime got lost. 


AS MESSENGER SAINT OF ANTINOUS

BARTOLOMEO DE LAS CASAS – 16th Century Dominican friar who worked to protect the Indians of the New World, arguing for the equality and human rights of the native people of the New World. In one of his books, Fray Bartolomeo described the ancient religion of Antinous, listing almost all of the ancient pagan and christian sources which quotations taken from the sources, demonstrating that he had made a thorough study of Antinous at a time when direct knowledge of the many diverse manuscripts was required. Fray Bartolomeo is not only the first person in the New World to write about Antinous, but he is also the first true Antinous scholar who gathered together and listed all the known historical sources of Antinous that were available at his time. We sanctify Fray Bartolomeo de Las Casas because he was one of the first advocates for the rights of the indigenous people of the Americas, and also because he represents the culmination of the renaissance era in which Antinous consciousness was reborn, and the beginning of the modern era in which Antinous scholarship began. 


AS VENERABLE SAINTS

1)SELENA QUINTANILLA PEREZ - She is one of the biggest gay icons in Hispanic Latino culture. She was a pioneer in being a successful female Latin artist in the Tejano industry (which was heavily male-dominated” women were deemed “unsuccessful”. She’s been booed offstage as a young little girl for being female and singing Tejano songs. She was also of a very religious Jehovah’s Witness family. Her religious community frowned upon her for being a female singer in general as well as her outfits which were considered “provocative” Gays relate to her because of her flamboyant outfits, defying her religious upbringing to just be herself, and paving the way for other female artists. She is celebrated in many gay clubs which feature an entire event dedicated to her. Selena is an inspiration to gays in general. Especially for standing up for who you love. It’s very much indicated in her song “Amor Prohibido”. 

2)ELIZABETH TAYLOR. Already a Hollywood icon, Liz Taylor was a trailblazer for fund raising and AIDS awareness in the earliest days of the crisis. Ms. Taylor founded the National AIDS Research Foundation, which merged with AmFAR. Her contributions to fighting AIDS are too numerous to mention. 


AS INNOCENT MARTYRS

DANA MARTIN, 31, a trans woman of color, was found shot to death in her vehicle in a roadside ditch about 11 pm. Sunday, 6 January, in Montgomery, Alabama. She was shot while driving and police as of 10 January police continue to investigate, but have no leads.

ELLIE MARIE WASHTOCK, 38, a transfeminine person who identified as both man and a woman, was found dead by their teenage son at 8 a.m. on Thursday, January 31 at their World Golf Village condominium in St. Augustine, Florida. It was ruled a homicide according to the Putnam County Sheriff's Office. No suspect has been identified. Washtock became posthumously notable for amateur investigative work regarding the September 2010 cold case of Michelle O’Connell. Patty O'Connell, mother of Michelle, stated to reporters she believed Washtock's investigating was a factor in their murder. Jazzaline Ware, age unknown, a trans woman of color, was found dead in her apartment on Monday, 25 March in Memphis, Tennessee. Initially thought to be a suicide, police currently regard the case as homicide for reasons not made public.

ASHANTI CARMON, 27, a trans woman of color, was shot and killed around 6:30 am, Saturday, 30 March, in Prince George's County, Maryland. The day of her death, the eve of International Transgender Day of Visibility, made her murder poignant for the international trans community. Her history of survival sex, which she did since homeless at age 16, and the location of her murder, popular sex worker and transgender locale Eastern Avenue, makes her death a likely instance of violence against sex workers. There are currently no leads on the shooting.

CLAIRE LEGATO, 21, a trans woman of color, was shot in the head on Monday, April 15 after an argument broke out between her mother and the suspect in Cleveland, Ohio. She was taken to a local hospital where she died from her injuries on May 14. The suspect, John Booth, 61, was charged by the authorities with Claire Legato's murder, and an arrest warrant was issued for Booth.

MUHLAYSIA BOOKER, 23, a trans woman of color was found shot and killed after a 6:40 am shooting report call, Saturday, 18 May, Dallas, Texas around the 7200 block of Valley Glen Dr. near Tension Park Golf Course. There are currently no leads in the shooting. The shooting comes after little more than a month since a viral video (gaining national attention) showed Booker being publicly beaten and called slurs on 12 April. Police have no current ties to connect the previous assailant to her later murder. Less than a month before her death, she spoke publicly saying, "This time, I can stand before you whereas in other scenarios, we're at a memorial." On June 5, 2019 a suspect, Kendrell Lavar Lyles, 34, was arrested by the Dallas police and charged with three counts of murder, including the murder of Muhlaysia Booker.

MICHELLE "TAMIKA" WASHINGTON, 40, a trans woman of color and longtime transgender rights advocate, was fatally shot in the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania neighborhood of Franklinville on Sunday, 19 May shortly after 5:00 am. Police responded to several shots fired and found Washington had been shot several times, at which time she was taken to Temple University Hospital, where she was pronounced dead upon arrival. A suspect in her murder has been arrested.

PARIS CAMERON, 20, was shot in Detroit, Michigan on Saturday, 25 May (Memorial Day weekend) along with two cisgender individuals. She was taken in critical condition to a local hospital, where she was pronounced dead. Eyewitnesses report gunshots ringing out after arguing being heard from the house all the victims were in, after which numerous people fled onto the street. Police have arrested suspect Devon Robinson, 18, in relation to the murder.

CHYNAL LINDSEY, 26, a trans woman of color was found in White Rock Lake, Dallas, Texas at 5:45 pm on Saturday, 1 June. She is the second trans murder in Dallas, Texas in 2019, following Muhlaysia Booker just two weeks previous. The city was celebrating their annual Pride festival on the same weekend. Lindsey's body was discovered only a mile away from where Booker's body was discovered. The Dallas Police have asked the FBI to assist with the investigation. Her death brings the currently unsolved trans homicide cases in Dallas to four as ofJune 2019. On June 20, 2019 the Dallas police arrested a suspect, Ruben Alvarado, 22, who has been charged with the murder of Chynal Lindsey.

JOHANA MEDINA LEON, 25, a trans woman from El Salvador seeking asylum in the United States, died in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody in El Paso, Texas on Saturday, 1 June around 9:00 pm. After applying for asylum at the Paso del Norte Port of Entry on April 11, Leon was detained at the facility where she informed officials of her medical condition, including complications resulting from HIV. Leon passed her interview determining that she had credible fear of persecution should she return to El Salvador on May 18, but was not paroled until she entered the hospital later that month. According to family and advocates, duringher incarceration at the facility, she had been denied medication and treatment resulting in her death at the Del Sol Medical Center.

CHANEL SCURLOCK, 23, a trans woman of color, was found shot and killed just after midnight in Lumberton, North Carolina on Wednesday, 5 June by Robeson County sheriff's deputies. Her family indicated she had planned to meet up with the owner of a Facebook page with media content of her. Friends and activists confirmed that Scurlock identified as a trans woman, however she had been misgendered and deadnamed by local media, and even referred toas a gay man by her mother in local reports. While the Robeson County Sheriff, Burnis Wilkins, has indicated that they have strong leads in the investigation, his office asked for public assistance regarding the case. On 11 June, police arrested a suspect, Javaras Hammonds, 20, on charges of first-degree murder and robbery with a dangerous weapon in the killing of Chanel Scurlock.

ZOE SPEARS, 23, a trans woman of color, was shot and killed in Fairmount Heights, Maryland, a suburb of Washington D.C on Thursday, 13 June. The murder occurred just a few blocks from where, earlier in March 2019, Ashanti Carmon was murdered (see above). Prince George's County Police Major Brian Reilly said that, "At this point in the investigation, there is no direct link that we see at this point, but that is obviously something we are monitoring very closely to see if there are any links." Carmon and Spears knew each other and were part of a close group of sex workers in the area. Two weeks after her death, police arrested suspect Gerardo Thomas, 33, indicted on murder charges (first degree) for the killing of Zoe Spears.

BROOKLYN LINDSEY, 32, a trans woman of color, was found shot and killed in front of an abandoned building in Kansas City, Missouri on Tuesday, 25 June. Kansas City Police Department announced Lindsey had received multiple gunshots and facial trauma. Her body was discovered around 6:30 a.m. Neighbours reportedly heard an argument and gunshots around 2:30a.m. at the abandoned residence at the 600 block of Spruce Avenue. Kris Wade of the local Justice Project reported that Lindsey had been hospitalized after a brutal beating just weeks before her death. CNN reported Lindsey's death took place near where Tamara Dominguez was murdered in 2015. On 22 July, Marcus Lewis, 41, a felon, was arrested and indicted on Lindsey's murder after being stopped on unrelated domestic violence and armed robbery charges.

DENALI BERRIES STUCKEY, 29, a trans woman of color, was shot and killed in North Charleston, South Carolina in the early morning of Saturday, 20 July on Carter Avenue. Early reports misgendered Stuckey. Police investigation is ongoing, but currently has no developments or leads announced. She is the third transgender homicide in South Carolina since 2018. On 31 July, Elizabeth Warren spoke out about her death along with the death of Kiki Fantroy.

TRACY SINGLE (née Williams), 22, a trans woman of color, was found dead in west Houston, Texas on Tuesday, 30 July, a victim of homicide. Single's body was discovered in a convenience store parking lot at 11000 Katy Freeway around 2:30 a.m and moved to a morgue where she laid unidentified for ten days. The victim's homelessness delayed the identification process. Her identity was revealed by a 11 August town hall meeting organized by local activist Dee Dee Watters, after which it was made public and published by TransGriot on 14 August. Single is the third transgender death of 2019 in Texas, following Muhlaysia Brooker and Chynal Lindsey. Single's boyfriend, Joshua Dominic Bourgeois, 25, was charged with her murder in late August. Friends of the victim claim Single attempted to dissolve the relationship just prior to her murder prompting the possible classification of her murder as domestic homicide.

KIKI FANTROY, 21, a trans woman of color, was shot and killed in southwest Miami-Dade County, Florida in the early morning of Wednesday, 31 July near an abandoned house. Miami Police claim the murder resulted from an argument and not a transgender hate crime, however Fantroy's mother, whom she lived with, and others who knew her disagree. Fantroy was reportedly headed home from a party with a group when a teenage male, 17, approached her and propositioned her for sex, which she declined, after which he began shooting at another member of the group. Fantroy ran, pursued by the young man, who then opened fire and murdered her. On 5 August, the suspect was arrested in connection with an unrelated case, and admitted to the murder in police custody. He has been charged with murder (second degree) and attempted murder. On 31 July, Elizabeth Warren spoke out about her death along with the death of Denali Stuckey.

PEBBLES LADIME DOE, 24, a trans woman of color, was found shot and killed in Allendale County, South Carolina on Sunday, 4 August. Doe was discovered by a passerby slumped over her car steering wheel on a driveway in the vicinity of Concord Church and Barnwell roads. Her killing follows two weeks after of the murder of Denali Stuckey (see above), a fellow trans woman of color from South Carolina. She is the fourth transgender homicide in South Carolina since 2018.

JORDAN COFER, 22, a trans man, was shot and killed Sunday, 4 August, a victim of the 2019 Dayton shooting. Cofer, one of the first victims, was the sibling of the shooter, making his death fratricide. Many early reports misgendered and dead-named him. He was out about his gender identity online and to friends, but not family. It is unclear whether their sibling targeted them or not, and, if so, for whatever motive.

BAILEY REEVES, 17, a trans woman of color, was shot and killed Monday, 2 September (Labor Day) in Baltimore, Maryland. Reeves was discovered immediately after the shooting around 8:00 p.m. at the 4300 block of Parkwood Avenue when a nearby teen heard gunshots and screaming, finding Reeves in a pool of her own blood. She was taken to a hospital where she later died of multiple gunshot wounds to the torso. Police have released no leads or suspects in the shooting at this time.

BEE LOVE SLATER, 23, a trans woman of color, was found immolated inside her car Wednesday, 4 September in Clewiston, Florida. Arriving on the scene in the early morning, officials state the body was burned unrecognizable. However, family and friends identified her from the location and car, which was confirmed 6 September by police in a report which dead-named the victim. Some reports indicate the victim might've been bound and shot, prior to immolation, however those reports remain unconfirmed. No motive or lead has been determined at this time. Those close to the victim have stated they suspect her murder was likely due to her trans status.

ELISHA CHANEL STANLEY, 46, a trans woman of color, was found dead by homicide Monday, 16 September in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania at 6:30 p.m at the 1000 block of Penn Avenue, which is the Westin Hotel. No other details about death have been released by officials, however Pittsburgh Police have stated they were investigating. Local activists and friends of the victim alleged investigation by officials and coverage of media was sparse due to the victim's transgender status. Stanley's funeral was held three days after on 19 September.

ITALI MARLOWE, 29, a trans woman of color, was killed following a shooting in southwest Houston, Texas at 2 p.m. on Friday, 20 September. As reported by Houston Police, officers responded to a reported shooting at 15829 Ridgeroe Lane, during which Marlowe was found lying on the driveway having been shot multiple times. She was transported to a nearby hospital where she was declared dead. The suspect in the shooting, Raymond Donald Williams, 23, has been indicted for Marlowe's murder, but remains at large and is currently wanted by police. Williams had been reportedly living with Marlowe. For the year of 2019, Marlowe follows Tracy Single (see above) as the second trans murder in Houston and Muhlaysia Booker (see above), Chynal Lindsey (see above), and Single as the fouth known trans murder in Texas.

BRIANNA "BB" HILL (a.k.a. Breonna Be'Be), 30, a trans woman of color, was shot and killed at 11:30 p.m. on Monday, 14 October in eastern Kansas City, Missouri. The Kansas City Police said Hill was killed around the Vineyard Park area, dying before first responders could intervene.The suspected gunman remained at the scene of the crime and was taken into police custody. His name or motive have not been released.

ALEX MILKOVICH (died in June 2019) was a 19-years-old transgender man, a student of the pharmaceutical academy, who was killed in Russian town Nytva. He went missing on June 1, hisbody was found on June 10. The suspected murderer was arrested.

KIRA (the name was changed in news) was a 26-years-old transwoman from Kursk, Russia, killed and dismembered by her boyfriend after he learned she was a transwoman. He cut the flesh from her body, evaporated the remains of the body in the oven, flushed pieces of the body into the toilet. He sawed her bones and put them in plastic bags. After that he threw them into the trash can, standing at the house. He covered her head and spine with salt, so as not to emit a cadaverous smell, wrapped it in rags and put it all on his balcony.

NINA SURGUTSKAYA, 25, is killed by her medic boyfriend Mikhail Tikhonov in Kursk, eastern Russia.

CAMILA DIAZ CORDOVA (died in February 2019) was a 29-year-old trans woman who was killed in El Salvador after being deported from the United States.

RENATA SPENCER, a transgender woman and sex worker identified as J.G.M. was seen coming out of a local pub with an unknown man in Tepeji del Rio. The body was then found on March 11 in the midst of a highway.

UNIDENTIFIED, a transgender woman and sex worker was beheaded in a drug related crime in Mexico City. The body was found covered with sheets on March 13. An elderly gardener was arrested and blamed for the crime. 

JONY S.S., a transgender woman and sex worker was beaten to death in Coatzintla on June 14. A neighbour found the body when he saw the door open.

CARLOS VG, also known as "Carly", a transgender woman and sex worker was stabbed to death by a group of people in the downtown of Oaxaca on July 15.

LA BECKY, a 52-year-old transgender woman who owned the local gay bar La Esquina del Chacal, was killed in the Minatitlán shooting on April 19. Three armed men broke into a family gathering and murdered 14 people, including La Becky. 

JESUSA FIDEL VENTURA REYES, better known to her friends as Chucha, was a 25-year old trans woman who was killed in the Mexican State of Veracruz. She went missing on the night of May 17, and her family contacted local police 24 hours after her disappearance. Local authorities found her severed head in a cooler in front of the town hall. Her body was found discarded in a street elsewhere in the city. Witnesses report seeing a group of armed men leaving the cooler outside the town hall. Reyes' family first identified her on Sunday, May 19 and claimed her body on May 20.

BRAYAN SÁNCHEZ ZÁRATE, better known as Britany, was a 20-year old trans woman who was killed in the city of Misantla in Veracruz. On May 26, she was shot by two men with .38 calibers on the city's local Football field. Sánchez Zárate had been previously crowned "Gay Princess 2019" on Misantla's annual LGBT carnival.

UNIDENTIFIED, a transgender woman and sex worker was killed when leaving a local pub in Acapulco on August 23. According to some witnesses, two men fired at her and then left riding amotorcycle.

ANA PAULA, a transgender woman and sex worker was killed with a hammer in Jiutepec on September 6. A local worker was arrested after some neighbors informed the police that the attack had taken place.


AS SORROWFUL MARTYRS OF ANTINOUS

CHANNING SMITH, 16, a high school student in Coffee County, Tennessee, died by suicide between Sept. 22 and Sept. 23 2019. after being outed as bisexual.


JAMEY RODEMAYOR – 14 suicide (March 21, 1997 – September 18, 2011) buffalo, was an American teenaged-boy, known for his activism against homophobia and his videos on YouTubeto help victims of homophobic bullying. His suicide was attributed to constant bullying, and led to the proposal of new cyberbullying legislation. 

2 comments:

  1. All are more than worthy of Sainthood. I would select Elizabeth Taylor who put AIDS fundraising on the map by using her name to draw media attention.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you very much indeed for your suggestion!

      Delete