Considering my family is from a college town in Michigan, we're a little different than most on the block. I'm the family gay, and to Thankgiving, I bring my girlfriend of four years and our two pugs. My sister and her black husband have a new baby, and these things make us a little different from the other households in my family's subdivision (at least from what I can tell).

It's our first Thankgiving all together (my sister's husband and baby and one of my pugs are all new developments), so I'm hoping I can get some kind of great embarassing or at least kind of funny Turkey Day story out of it, because I don't have one yet. This is unfortunate, as the holidays are the perfect time for these kinds of stories.

Take, for instance, the lesbian couple in What's Cooking. Kyra Sedgwick and Juliana Margulies play girlfriends, and Sedgwick's character's parents put them in twin beds, refusing to accept them as a couple. How awkward! Luckily neither of them mind shoving into one twin bed together.

To make matters even funnier (not worse, most definitely funnier) is that the two have an announcement to make: they are pregnant, by Rachel's (Sedgwick) brother's wife's gay brother. That's right, homophobic parents. As one of the other family members explains to the upset mother and father, "Rachel is a lesbian — you know, like Ellen."

Thank god for Ellen, right? How else could some of us explain what we mean by "lesbian"? Can you imagine some of our families filling out the ballot for the Visibility Awards? I think it would be Ellen all around. Maybe a Rosie or Melissa, but most definitely Ellen.

Now it's your turn to share. Any ridiculously awful moments in your Thanksgiving history? Do you expect this one to be particularly memorable? If you can't tell us, who can you tell? … continue reading

The time has come once again to remember what Thanksgiving is all about — pie.

Pie is one of life’s best gifts, whether it’s pecan or chocolate or turkey pot. But how do we fill the time before and after we fill our tummies with pie? I’m glad you asked, because I have a few suggestions of things to do over the Thanksgiving holiday.

1. Catch up on TV series.
Even if you don’t have a DVR full of missed shows waiting to be viewed, you can find most network series online. If, for example, you watched Grey’s Anatomy while Callica was on, then the lovely Liz Lemon is available for your viewing pleasure at nbc.com.

So is Chuck, which features most excellent butt-kicker, Agent Sarah Walker (Yvonne Strahovski). Stop drooling on your computer, StuntDouble.

I also recommend Pushing Daisies, online at abc.com, as the perfect show to watch on this pie-centric holiday. Or if you want to feel better about your personal family drama, the sublime dysfunction of Gossip Girl is waiting at The CW. … continue reading

Thanksgiving is a tricky holiday, dress wise. It’s one of those where everyone is just sort of hanging out all day with no real dress code. It’s sort of one of those occasions that brings to mind the term “business casual.” You know, the most boring and indescript category in the fashion vernacular. What exactly does that mean? Will you be chastised for wearing jeans with a nice sweater?

I generally stick to skirts or what I consider to be a more casual dress. If an A line is something you have on hand, I would say that this above all else is the way to go. Even when paired with a fitted three quarter sleeve top or patterned button down, it projects that you were concerned with looking nice but didn’t go over the top. Moms are also a big fan of the classic. In the same vein, a jumper is also super seasonally appropriate and comfortable to boot. A pair of boots and a cute jumper style dress is all you need to drink and eat in comfort all the live long holiday.

If skirts aren’t really up your alley, and you’re apprehensive about wearing jeans to the annual holiday gathering, corduroys are the most surefire way to accomplish dressy casual. As previously mentioned, they’re also pretty easy to come by, at least this season. If your budget is tight (which a lot of people’s are this year) this is also an item that can be thrifted without looking chintzy. A pressed button down with a tie or even a cozy sweater is a totally appropriate outfit to rock when carving the bird. It really looks swank without much effort and, again, it’s a really comfortable and warm option. … continue reading

U People Episode 4 opens up with Hanifah and Olive relaxing after a long day as they talk about complicated lesbian positions and the first time Olive brought Hanifah home to the family for Thanksgiving.

Earlier that day, Olive, Hanifah and Gloria hit the streets looking for U people stories and stumbled into Henrietta Hudson. Henrietta Hudson is one of the oldest lesbian bars in NYC. There they chatted with Itty Bitty, the absolutely adorable bartender, and couldn't resist the golden pole in the corner that called their names. 

Watch the video here.

Your friendly and exhausted AfterEllen.com staffers and bloggers are taking some time off for the Thanksgiving holiday. So things will be pretty quiet around here until Monday (well, probably Sunday night, because we're crazy like that).

How can you entertain yourself in the meantime? Funny you should ask! Here are a few ideas:

• Watch the new episodes of U People and We're Getting Nowhere
• Read Siege's post about chefs who guarantee a happy holiday
• Watch Home for the Holidays (starring Holly Hunter and directed by Jodie Foster) on Showtime Thursday night (and feel better about your own family angst)
• Add your own bad movies you love and good movies you hate to Dorothy Snarker's lists
• Read about Peppermint Patty's personal pilgrimage
• Watch Battlestar Galactica: Razor (nothing says "happy holidays" like space drama!)
• Read the linster's post about Thanksgiving TV
• Suggest some great TV dykons to go with Ace's picks
• Read a review of What's Cooking? (starring Julianna Margulies and Kyra Sedgwick as a lovely lesbian couple)
• Watch Loving Annabelle on Logo Sunday night

And, of course, catch up on all the articles, recaps and vlogs you haven't had time for lately. I like to think we all have at least one thing to be thankful for: the very existence of AfterEllen.com. Now let's eat!

photo: Anne Taintor

Thanksgiving is the perfect lesbian holiday. It involves a potluck (with vegetarian options, of course), eating too much and then sitting around with friends pretending to watch football while we talk about the people who aren't there. And we have pie. I love pie.

T-Day also provides plenty of fodder for seasonal episodes of television series, usually centered on a chaotic family dinner or the Macy's parade or turkeys that aren't done on time. (See TV writer Ken Levine's blog for his summary of Thanksgiving plots.) Sounds like a good excuse for a list — and some food for discussion. And so, submitted for your approval, my five favorite Thanksgiving episodes.
… continue reading