You didn't think we'd go into Mother's Day weekend without paying tribute to those wacky ladies (real and otherwise) that gave birth to our fabulousness, did you?  If you can't surprise your Mom with Sunday brunch or a T-shirt with your face on it, be sure to call her/them and express your love and gratitude for raising such a fierce child. 

It is, after all, Mother's Day so just remember, kiddies ... without Mothers there'd be no frakkers; without Mamas there'd be no Mia's, and the most important lesson of all: those lovely ladies that brought you into this world can take you out just as easily (sorry, I had to), so celebrate them!

Sit back and relax as I honor some of my favorite real-life Moms, as well as those from television and movies that represent the good, the bad and the ugly of memorable mamas.

THE NEWBIE
Lily Van der Woodsen (Gossip Girl)

Gossip Girl's Lily Van der Woodsen is a complex character who wants to be a better woman, Mother and lover than her upper crust gal pals and family will allow and I currently heart her. Sure Lily will marry any Tom, Dick or Bart for their money and she'll go to great lengths to save face amongst the Upper East Side elite and yes, she had a mini-meltdown when evil Georgina outed her son Eric at the dinner table but she came around in the end! Kelly Rutherford has taken what could have been a one-note rich bitch and made her a woman to root for. PFLAG will never be the same.

THE SEMI-OLD PRO
Nora Walker (Brothers & Sisters)

Nora Walker meddles and occasionally messes with her children's lives but she's always best friend and supporter to her gay son Kevin Walker (Matthew Rhys) on ABC's Brothers & Sisters.  Sally Field is a powerful presence on screen and she can dominate the drama like no one else but she always let's her character live and breathe the world of her children (often to a fault) and she's really embraced Kevin's relationship and soon to be marriage to Scotty (played by Luke MacFarlane).  Nora could teach Lily a thing or two about patience and acceptance.

THE TRUE OLD PRO
Debbie Novotny (Queer as Folk - US)

Debbie (or PFLAG The Clown as my friend Armando likes to call her) could school all other Mother's on how to support your gay child and every fey friend that makes up his/her gay gang.  She's been crazy involved in her son Michael's (played by the adorable Hal Sparks) social and sex life so if you have questions on which gay clubs to haunt or which lube works best she's your go-to-gal.  Debbie does the gays proud and I salute her efforts and enthusiasm in grounding the sometimes outrageous Queer as Folk.

THE LEGEND
Anne Bancroft (Torch Song Trilogy's Ma Beckoff | Home For The Holiday's Adele Larson )

Anne Bancroft played two of the most memorable Gay Movie Moms from two of my favorite films with gay characters. In the classic Torch Song Trilogy she was the conflicted, confused, and sometimes pain in the ass Ma to Harvey Fierstein's Arnold Beckoff. In the end she realized that no matter how you raise them, sometimes kids really do "come that way."  In Jodie Foster's Home For The Holidays, she was the Mom most in need of a Silkwood shower and a neurotic nag to her gay son Tommy (Robert Downey Jr.) but she was never anything but amazing.  Rest In Peace Anne Bancroft (1931-2005).

THE ASS KICKER
Sandra Gangel (Beautiful Thing)

Sandra's the kind of woman that's not afraid to stand up to an abusive Father, knock out a whacked out Mama Cass lovin' neighbor, and encourage her gay son to make his own kind of music. Linda Henry's multi-layered performance in Beautiful Thing has always forced me to stand up and cheer.  She's funny, intense, and ruthless but encouraging and nurturing to not only her gay son Jamie but his teenaged lover Ste.  The final scene of the film is one of endless hope and utopia made even more amazing by Sandra's fearless efforts to accept her son.

The coming out scene is a staple of gay stories, as it's an important moment gay people experience repeatedly in their lives. In honor of National Coming Out Day, here's a few of my favorite coming out scenes.

Luke Snyder
From: As the World Turns

Right now, Van Hansis is breaking new ground as part of the first gay male romance on an American soap opera, but Luke Snyder's coming out was memorable as well for giving us so much nuance in his family's reaction. Holden had suspected Luke was gay for some time (his only concern being that Luke hadn't felt free to confide in him), while Lily felt betrayed at the idea of people in her family knowing things that she didn't. While Luke's parents were both inclined to be supportive of him, their reactions included a mix of emotions that made it one of the most memorable moments in recent memory for ATWT fans.

Steven Carter
From: Get Real

This mostly sweet teen romance climaxes when Steven comes out at his graduation ceremony. The heartfelt speech is bittersweet since Steven's boyfriend, John Dixon, remains firmly closeted, ensuring that the relationship cannot continue.

Marco DelRossi
From: Degrassi: The Next Generation

When Dylan couldn't stand being in a relationship with a closeted boyfriend any longer he broke up with Marco, leading to a rather sensitive scene where Marco's mother figures it all out from seeing her son heartbroken.

Jamie and Ste
From: Beautiful Thing

Beautiful Thing ended with the unforgettable image of Ste and Jamie slow dancing in the courtyard of their housing complex. As the camera pulls back, Cass Elliot's "Dream a Little Dream" plays and their neighbors react to the sight of the youths being so openly affectionate with each other.

On a blazing hot summer day you might not feel up to running the streets, rollerblading in the city or even a sweltering walk in the park. The heat can be exhausting and a day inside could be just what you need. We've already written about how there isn't much gay at the box office of late, so to help keep you entertained in the cool interior of your house are five of the best gay movies to fill up in your Netflix queue — and yes, I left out Brokeback Mountain!

Female Trouble

Despite some of the interview mishaps with John Travolta, many of us are looking forward to the third version of Hairspray due out in theaters July 20th. However, before Serial Mom and Hairspray, legendary director John Waters was known for his camp-a-licious films that shocked straights and gays. Waters' 1975 Female Trouble manages to not go as far as his first film, Pink Flamingos, but goes far enough to still get a NC-17 rating when the film was released on DVD in 2004.

Female Trouble is the story of Dawn Davenport, played by the larger-than-life drag queen Divine. Dawn is mortified when she does not get her cha-cha heels for Christmas and turns into a tawdry bad girl who combines crime and beauty to be a star. Female Trouble is vulgar, repulsive, shocking, but completely hilarious. If you haven't see it, it's a must and if you already seen it, it's a must to see it again.

If you missed the limited release of Brother to Brother in 2005, it is definite DVD viewing for the summer. Brother to Brother is the story of a struggling writer/student who is looking for love and struggling with his sexuality in urban New York. His life is juxtaposed with the Harlem Renaissance by characters such as Langston Hughes, Wallace Thurman and Richard Bruce Nugent. Director Rodney Evans delivers in this touching film that manages to combine humor with drama, leaving the audience with a sense that although we are from different eras, many things for gays have remained the same including the need for love and companionship which are universal.

One of our two new main page articles today is Brian Juergens' look back at the 1996 British film Beautiful Thing. For those already familiar with this funny, but touching coming of age tale, the article is a nice reminder about what made the movie so special. And for those who haven't yet seen this small-budget, big-hearted movie, Brian's look back is a great introduction to the film.

I clearly remember how much I loved it on first viewing. It was one of the first movies I ever saw with gay teens in it that approached anything to which I could personally relate my own experiences growing up. Yes, Jamie (Glen Berry) and Ste (Scott Neal) have to struggle with their sexuality, but they aren't suicidal, addicted to drugs, or out on the street hustling. I know that is the fate of too many gay youth, but it wasn't my experience and it was wonderful to see two boys fumbling toward a relationship. Okay, I never got that far at the same age, but it was nice wish fulfillment to see someone getting that happy ever after ending.

As a bonus the movie features out actor Ben Daniels in a terrific supporting role. You might remember Daniels from our coverage of the recent BBC America miniseries The State Within.

Beautiful Thing wasn't perfect, as Brian points out, but it did mark a step forward in gay cinema and holds up pretty darn well today. If you don't have Logo (who is showing it on Sunday evening and who acquired us last year, FYI), then Netflix it or pop down to you local video store. You won't be sorry. And if you are, thanks to the snazzy new site, you can tell me just how annoyed you are!