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Gay & Lesbian gift guide 2008
Tranny get your gun
Ever wonder why Uncle Jack brings home the same “friend” for the holidays year after year? Do you suspect some of those Prop 8 supporters have a secret they’re not telling us? Expose all orientations with the new Gaydar Gun, a novelty toy based on the 2002 film of the same name. Just point and shoot this handy device at the cute guy or girl in the cubicle next to you (you can set the gun to either male or female) and see where the homometer dial falls. More than 650 recordings spit out insightful observations such as, “He’s so gay, eating fruit cake would be cannibalism.” Available at gaydargun.com; $39.95.
Strip search
Fans of queer cartoonist Alison Bechdel’s sometimes political, often hilarious and downright dykey comic strip Dykes to Watch Out For need not worry about its apparent disappearance. While Bechdel has officially put the strip on hiatus, a gorgeous new hardbound retrospective, The Essential Dykes to Watch Out For, provides a funny, sentimental and outrageous look at the LGBT community over the past 25 years. A must for every dyke diva. Available at Amazon.com; $25.
You’ve got male
Chicago Male (3418 N Halsted St, 773-281-6005), savior to all North Side men in search of a scrub, wax, cut, pluck or tweak, is offering a sweet deal for Time Out readers. Purchase a gift certificate for $75 or more (and say you read about it here) and it’ll throw in a couple of spa products worth 25 bucks. The best part is, you can hand the gift certificate over to your loved one and pocket the gift pack for yourself! Available at Chicago Male; $75.
Hidden gem
How is it this guy hasn’t been on our gaydar until now? Matt Alber, an alto singer with the classical a cappella ensemble Chanticleer (with whom he recorded two Grammy Award–winning albums) puts his own vocal prowess front and center in his fantastic solo debut, Hide Nothing. Think Rufus Wainwright meets Ben Folds and you get an idea of the kinds of soulful sounds you’ll hear on tracks like “Monarch” and “End of the World.” Simply put, this is beautiful stuff. Available at Amazon.com. $16.98.
