FEATURED ARTIST – Frank-Joseph Frelier
STORY by Jeremy Smith
I was in 10th grade then. The sort of sissy kid that all the kids had made fun of in middle school had given way to a guy who could more or less fly under the radar about his sexuality by the time he got to the mid-part of high school.
I’d been, more or less, afraid of being gay. Not that I thought that it was wrong, but that it meant being resigned to the sort of life that Queer as Folk advertised–one of rampant sex, rampant drugs, and a total lack of real intimacy. I’d started owning up to the fact I was gay a few years before that, but I was still weary of the sort of life I’d lead as a guy who wasn’t interested at all in becoming a “circuit boi.”
Then that day, I saw the “Laramie Project”, which affirmed to me that it was okay to be who I was. And then as kismet would have it, I decided to walk into that pizza shop, where you two were sitting together.
You looked so cute together–two mature college guys. One of you with gelled blond hair, a grey turtleneck sweater, and a black leather jacket. The other with thick dark hair, a black hoodie, and a black knit cap. The preppy guy with the skater kid. Too cute for words.
I’d always wondered if I’d ever see a gay couple. And I thought you might be. It could have just been wishful thinking, but when I saw the rainbow-colored mushroom on your knit cap, I knew that you had to be!
And then you two confirmed my suspicions by leaning over and kissing. You were just two college kids, out on a date, who leaned over to kiss each other like any couple!
It was a relevation to realize that two guys could be college sweethearts on a simple pizza date like anyone else. And it was there I realized that I wasn’t going to lose anything by being gay, and that I didn’t have to live some Queer As Folk life because I was.
So thank you, College Couple on a Date in 2003…because you showed me a way to be true to myself, and that being gay didn’t mean some miserable “circuit boi” lifestyle.
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ABOUT THE ARTIST
Frank-Joseph is an illustrator and designer living in Manhattan. He works in the film industry, and pursues drawing and writing as personal creative outlets. His graphic style is influenced by the expressive line work of Rene Gruau, and J.C. Leyendecker’s masculine, idealized men. He is currently working on his first graphic novel, “Leo,” chronicling the adventures of a college freshman. Frank-Joseph graduated from Art Center College of Design with a BFA in Illustration. Until he gets a site up, you can see more of his work at franklyillustrated.blogspot.com. His other interests include dinosaurs, Mogwai, shiny objects, and the silent “p” in pneumonia.
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Interested in being a Featured Artist? Just lemme know!
Yet another example of how much of a positive influence being open in public has on people. It’s the same reason we need more gay relationships on TV, in movies, etc. It makes a difference.
And Frank-Joseph, I love your clean, handsome art. It complements the story beautifully. Thanks!
What a great story. I’m glad you were able to find a normalization of gay life outside of TV. I remember looking for it too, and finally finding it.
QAF is entertaining and all, but I wonder if its creators know how much it pushes stereotypes to straight and gay people alike. It’s nice to have more mainstream exposure, I just wish it wasn’t at gay teens’ expense.
It always makes me smile whenever I see a same-sex couple holding hands or displaying affection outside the confines of a gayborhood.
Great story and illustrations.
Great story, Jeremy. And thanks for reminding me of Newark. I spent one of the best years of my life there. I loved the ambiance of the downtown with the university at one end. Then came 9/11 and I decided I wanted to be back near my family in Illinois. I often wish I hadn’t left Delaware. Funny thing though… one thing I remember is that the pizza sucked. Sorry, it’s just not like we have here in Chicago.
Thanks for the comments, guys!
It was a pretty important moment in my life…and I gotta say, the illustrator NAILED what hte skater kid looked like, right down to the sideburns.
Newark can be a pretty tolerant place, I think. The area in general…you can see gay people outside of a gayborhood.
Animated pizza always looks so delicious to me. I don’t know why, but I think my primordial lizard brain was imprinted with some subliminal message in the years I spent watching Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles…
Thanks for the story – and the animated pizza!
I was in Newark Delaware back in 2003. I was having my first “live together” relationship. The pizza place…yes, “Peace a Pizza” was one of our favorite hang out places.
It’s so silly, but those little stores on Main Street that had a small rainbow sticker on their display window gave me a courage to come out to my friends and family.
Your sexuality does not defined you, but being true to yourself does.
Love the artwork!