mgdlin@beryl.berkeley.edu (Gary D. Lindsay) (09/19/86)
In article <328@aw.sei.cmu.edu.sei.cmu.edu> dvk@sei.cmu.edu (Daniel Klein) writes: > >Can I smile at you and say hello? Will you not get some gratification from >that? Yeah, yeah, my side again, but I like it when *anyone* smiles at >me and says hello (except maybe for gang members with bared steel, or Elvis >look-alikes). > Yes, Daniel, you can smile at me (:-)). But how many straight men smile at other men (especially strangers)? Unfortunately, the thin line between friendliness/male-bonding on the one hand and homophobic reaction on the other, is very much feared in a society that views sexual variation as intensely threatening. >Hmm... a gay rodeo. What a novel concept. Absolutely deadpan serious >question - do you do anything different? Or is it just gay riders/ropers? > Well, some people try bronc busting sidesaddle, but it's murder on spikes.... :-) (Sorry Rob, I couldn't resist) Seriously though, the Reno folks (I think CHamber of Commerce) tried to ban the Gay rodeo a while back as a homophobic reaction to AIDS. 'Nuff said, we've already beat to death the casual transmission topic. I think that shows a real need for even something as non-sexual-orientated as a rodeo being run by and for Gay/Lesbian people. >... I started reading this newsgroup with the intention of >being an observer, and *learning*. I got carried away, especially when I >compare some of the herein expressed opinions and my own experiences. I'll >try and sit back and watch again, but if I fail in this attempt, please forgive >me my intrusions as being basically well intended. I know that there are >lots of prejudiced assholes out there. Some of us are exceptions, though. OK, Dan, as far as I'm concerned you're welcome to continue to observe or participate in motss. What I remember you saying is no more outrageous than some of us have written, and certainly less bizarre than some hostile writers, who may remain nameless, althouhg-we-all-know-who-they-are. Gary mgdlin@beryl.berkeley.EDU, soon to be c/o uklai@beryl.berkeley.EDU