levasseur@morgan.DEC (11/10/84)
To Steve Dyer and others with similar feelings, let me clear the air.
First I forgot that there are thin skinned gay as well as straight people
I personally have never been to a bath house, groped a groin in a dark
corner, etc, etc. Maybe the introduction should have read," This article
deals with a small minority of the gay world". The intro also stated that
this was from the inputs of many (around 250) from discussions held at a
gay men's discussion group. I got ne negative feedback from the group
after circulating hardcopy of this note. I agree that this may not be the
proper place to post such material but 99% of the responses were posit-
ive from gay as well as straight readers. If Jason has anything else to
say (and the rest of the articles are very tame by comparison to #1) I
will merely post a note stating that there is another article available.
To the heterosexual or closeted gay readership of this file I say," Yes
Steve is right to some extent. This reflects a small minority of the gay
subculture's mating habits, just as it does the mainstream straight life-
style; drugs, quick lays, etc.
To the fundamentalists I say, "you're not totally beyond reproach either"
I lived in Memphis, Tenn. for a while and the same Bible bangers who
preached hellfire and brimstone on Sundays were the same ones I read about
in the paper who were arrested for drug peddling or having a 13 year old
girl in their hotel rooms. I guess this makes up for a small percentage
of the Christian population also, huh?
Bottom line is just this! It took me many years to be able to laugh at
myself and the world around me (gay and straight). To those of you who
are straight, I have to tell you that coming out is not easy. It was a
very painful experience to me until I accepted myself as a person first
and then to accept the fact I was gay second. Over the years I've been
able to look back and laugh at all the bull. If this article has offend-
ed anyone else; I'm truly sorry. I would like to contribute to this
group in a positive manner.
Regards, Ray