Culture: The behaviors and beliefs characteristic of a particular social, ethnic or age group.
Dear Reader,
You have no idea how many times I've rewritten this introduction in my heart and mind.. It has been typed in a dozen different styles from business to casual, humorous to aggressive, idealistic to psychological.
In the end I return to simply writing you a letter and leaving it up to each of you, both in the present and in the future, to determine whether I achieve within it the emotions and concepts I wish this work to embody. It is my fondest wish that the photography within this collection speaks for itself even if the words are never read.
Gay Culture is a hard thing for many to swallow. Some would argue that 'gay' is a disease and disease by definition could never be confused with 'culture'. I am not asking any of you to change your minds, yet it is my hope that the works within this collection will help anyone who views it (including those of the gay lifestyle) to realize that we do indeed form a culture and within that culture can be found all of the greatness and pitfalls that any group of people face.
Gay culture must stop looking at itself as the victim and begin to take responsibility for building a better world that combines the skills, creativity and resources of all the cultures of the world to make it a better place. Once any culture reaches the level where it places the welfare of all before the wellfare of its own, then we truly have the ability to achieve greatness.
You wont agree with everything you see here. Many of you wont agree with any of it and that includes both gay and straight viewers. I want you to be disturbed by some of the imagery here, because in that disturbance you have the chance to open your eyes to something new.
In the end though I think most of it will be familiar because its you. Its the things that everyone faces, not just gay or straight. But its in our approach to these things that we vary because of our different life experiences. We see these commonalities through the lense of our own being.
I invite your dialogue on these pages.
Grey Cross
-2009-
Scarlet Letter Project Sponsors
Please support our sponsors by visiting their websites
JohnPauls
Olde Town Inn
Country Club
700 Club
Antebellum Guest House
Cowpokes
Crescent City Books
Author
Crystal
Storm
The Healer
Not Just a Body
Issues of the Spirit
The Artist
Of Sanctity & Sin
A Man of Knowledge
The Counselor
An Uncommon Man
A Matter of Life & Death
Addicted
Commitment To One
Of Adam, Eve & Steve
Opposites Attract
The Actor
The Psychology of Lonliness
The Oneness of Being
The 3 Bears
WE ARE NOT NAMELESS FACES
Letters & Images From a Gay World
We are not nameless faces
We have lives, issues, fears and passions.
We make mistakes.
We challenge ourselves to be better people.
We are heroes and demons and everything in between.
We are you.
DONATIONS
This project is 100% volunteer. All profits from the sales of images, books and materials is donated 100% back to local AIDS/HIV organizations in the greater New Orleans area.
All participants including the photographer, the models, the crew and the various local property owners have donated of their time and energy to make this project a success. We thank them for their kindness.
Every penny counts. If you would like to donate to the project, please click the donation link below.
TO VIEW THE EXHIBITS
CLICK ANY PHOTO
We would appreciate your comments both positive and negative on the project. Please use the box below for thoughts, questions and general commentary. Some comments may be used on this website so we would appreciate if you included your fist name and city with your submission.
SPONSORS
We are seeking sponsors and gallery representation. If you think you can help the development of this project and the pursuit of creating a national touring exhibit, coffee table book and national discussion, please contact us.
