International Travel Writer
What or who inspired you to become a journalist?
It’s hard to say specifically who or what inspired me, though I have always loved to write and photograph, ever since I was little, and they were things I was good at. I will say, and I recently discussed this with some friends that even in high school, where I was the yearbook editor, the idea of going to events, covering them, interviewing people, all of that helped me overcome being a truly shy at heart person, able to be in places ordinarily I would be uncomfortable in. I also, from a travel and international perspective, have long had an immense curiosity about places that are different and people who are different from me.
What is your favorite story that you have written?
It’s hard to say – I do often say though that I have experiences as a journalist and just in life in general by being out there, that in telling them to people, they almost sound like I’ve made them up, like I’m some fabulist who has to be lying, as who could have had such experiences, from meeting the Queen of Jordan at Jesus’ baptism site, to meeting Stormy Daniels at Southern Decadence, to dancing with Marla Maples decades ago at a club, to meeting one of the men who captured Eichmann in Argentina, to literally bumping butts with Madeleine Albright at the Clinton Summit. I would say probably the most fairy tale, magical, happy event I covered was Queen Elizabeth’s 50th Jubilee in 2002. I would add, since much of my journalism is about war, covering important war stories, whether LGBTQ themed or on other issues – from the killings of gay men in Baghdad in 2007, to my trip to write about travel initiatives in Gaza in 2012, which I think about all the time now with the current war, not knowing whether the people who helped me are even alive now.
Do you feel like you have a dual responsibility for being queer and a journalist?
I have several thoughts on this – certainly, LGBTQ journalism can be viewed as a form of activism, though it is still journalism, and it must always remain truthful. There was an event I was covering for Gay City News and quite frankly, many reports about the numbers in other publications were inflated, and I said to my editor Paul Schindler, one of my favorite people to work with, that the reports of numbers at this event are simply untrue, there were significantly fewer people at this event than the reports said – so we were as truthful as we could be, despite conflicting with other publications. At the same time, what is important about LGBTQ media is that we report in details and ways of understanding our community that many mainstream publications simply can’t get in the way that we can. So, we have a responsibility to the truth, first and foremost, as any journalist should, and to finding the stories in our community and doing them justice.
Do you believe you have a role to play in helping preserve LGBTQ+ history and culture in your work?
I look back in particular at some events I covered, especially the first two World Prides, in Rome and Jerusalem, when World Pride was not the fabulous party it is now, but a real struggle against the hatred religion can spread, dangerous and deadly and meaningful of a struggle that activists put their lives on the line for, and some of the images I captured are among my favorite because they reflect something so important. I also look back at Prides past in New York in particular and think of politicians who were so young once and that I have known for decades and have been important figures, people like Erik Bottcher for example, or Christine Quinn, Jimmy Van Bremer, Corey Johnson, and I hope I am not leaving anyone out. In some ways over the years, you’ve recorded their paths to where they are and were. There are also historic events in other ways, whether being at the signing of Argentina’s same-sex marriage law and chatting with President Kirchner after or being at Stonewall Inn in New York City when Don’t Ask Don’t Tell ended, and meeting people like Rob Smith and others that day. And certainly, it was part of a journey to doing a TEDx talk.
What keeps you passionate about journalism?
It’s not the money for sure, but I think the idea of truth, and finding important stories. I will say I pitch a lot less than I used to, but the idea of being a journalist, and looking for ways to tell something, and the way in which we can connect dots and see relationships among things, is always with me.
What advice would you have for those wanting to become a journalist?
I get asked this quite often – and I teach writing online for UCLA, among other places, so I am still teaching people who want to be writers, journalists, something in that way. I think the advice I generally give is to find a niche and specialize in it, maybe something others have not been covering. The problem though and let’s be very serious about this, is that the pay is falling, the industry is bleeding. People need to find other ways to supplement income, part time jobs, freelancing, gig work, or teaching. But this is an issue. I also think always be on the lookout for a story and know your worth.
How has being a journalist impacted your personal life?
Again I think journalism has meant that I have been able to be privy to things others have not been able to be. I also think, especially travel journalism, has made relationships and dating hard. I am someone who is not around, and deadlines and getting writing done are more important. Something is bigger than me or I owe an allegiance to. I also think the objective nature of journalism allows me to step back and look at things in ways that others can’t and also makes me skeptical of some situations, like is this true or should I investigate it.
Do you have any future goals or projects you would like to share with us?
A huge reason why I am doing less journalism than before is that I have gone back to school for a PhD at Purdue University in their hospitality and tourism management program. My research comes off of my journalism however, as I am examining tourism redevelopment in the context of conflict, how places recover their tourism sector after war, and what motivates tourists to visit such places, as well as what role media, travel media in particular plays in this. My dissertation focuses on Iraq, Rwanda and Ukraine, three countries at three different stages of a relationship with war and tourism, Ukraine of course being a live war as of this writing. I still have about two years left for the dissertation and research, having finished three years of courses. So that’s my news!
