THE DARK DAYS IN LA

these are the dark days, where SOCIAL DISTANCE / STAY AT HOME / NO MASK NO ENTRY are the new universally accepted catchwords for good behavior.

in LA, we perch on our windows and wait. staying in is now an art form. the crowds are gone. the sky is radiant, so we sunbathe. everyone is high and our neighbors are our new best friends. we close our museums and our non-essential shops. nobody's allowed to get groomed, unless you have a stellar relationship with your stylist. restaurants: please serve your food curbside. all bars shall remain closed until further notice and definitely through the summer. (summer is canceled.) do not under any circumstance stop to say hello or occupy a space outside your home unless absolutely necessary. be human at your own risk, and always from six feet away. all are assumed carriers.

the equation goes something like this:

2020 : world  = 1980s : queer men

in the dark days, the anxieties that have been with us (queer men) for two generations (fear of deadly viruses, guilty until proven innocent, knowing your status) have now gone mainstream. welcome, be safe, do not panic.

as it dawns on us (in LA) that these dark days and our newfound survival tricks are here to stay, hardly anyone can deny the apocalypse actually looks good here. we will break free regardless. (THE DARK DAYS 2020)