Is it just me or is gay culture becoming too fluff and shallow?

 It seems that only a decade ago gay culture was a leading force and a trendsetter for our overall culture.  Gay writers were celebrated as their books sold like crazy.  Gay filmmakers, musicians, artists, were all considered avant garde. Brands rushed to sponsor gay events in order to get some of that "cool by association" effect.

 You don't see much of that now..

 I was at the Lambda Rising bookstore, a Washington DC LGBT institution, which has managed so far to survive well in the face of the onslaught of large chains and internet sources.  There was a time when the shelves at Lambda Rising would be full with great authors from all over the globe.  Now, most of the books on display tend to be soft porn erotica and celebrity oriented biographies.  This is the store where I discovered writers like Edmund White, Armistead Maupin and David Leavitt.  Now, in their place are erotica anthologies and gossip rags and memoirs of disco divas.

 A quick look at LGBT media also confirms this mediocre trend.  Magazines such as OUT, Genre and even The Advocate seem to be going after the lowest common denominator.  Articles about looking good, fashion, travel, etc.. etc.. Nothing insightful or deep.  The same applies to LOGO TV, the new LGBT network from MTV.

While I realize that these outlets do not have the kind of funds to produce quality programming and that they have to walk a fine line with advertisers, nevertheless, that is not an excuse for dumb and shallow content.

 Frankly it is insulting.  Gays and Lesbians in this country and elsewhere have always been at the forefront of literary, intellectual and artistic excellence. 

What happened?