From: michaelh@Xenon.Stanford.EDU (Mike Hennahane)
Subject: Re: Jay and Arsenio on gay issues
Organization: CS Department, Stanford University, California, USA
Date: 23 Aug 92 22:21:12 GMT

rsr@soda.berkeley.edu (Roy S. Rapoport) writes:

>I'll get flamed for this ... I know it.

this phrase is one of the silliest disclaimers on the net...

>What's the big deal? I mean, would you have preferred that he devote the
>rest of the interview to Sir Ian being queer?

how about at least some of it? how about not ignoring it? how about
just letting the interview take its course and not expending energy to
steer away from it?

>I mean, the guy's an entertainer.  He's there as an entertainer.  He's also
>gay, but how big of an issue is that, on the Tonight show? Apparently not
>really ... 

how can you separate the entertainer from the person? i big part of
the purpose of the tonight show is to find out more about the people
that we see (sort of a video People magazine). being gay *is* a big
issue to at least touch on because so few high profile people are out.

>I don't know ... I *personally* think that being queer is not a big thing.
>Part of what a person is, but not the only thing that defines that person.
>The Tonight Show concentrates on the part of the person that is an
>entertainer ... not other things ... 

i still can't believe that being gay is not part of the person that is
the entertainer. being british affects the way that sir ian
interpretes things in his world. being gay probably has just as big an
effect. is one more important? which is OK to talk about? have you
ever seen even one interview on the tonight show that just
concentrated on the part of the person that is an entertainer?

>I personally think that being queer doesn't make me different from my
>straight friends. ... not a lot, anyway ... I don't make a big deal out of
>it, I don't try to see how I'm different from them.  I don't flaunt it.

being queer doesn't make you any different? are you really serious?
have you tried to join the boy scouts lately? have you tried to get
married lately? have you tried to go out to a bar and not get bashed
lately? have you been fired from your job, or been denied housing
lately? etc. etc. etc.

>Now, this could very well have something to do with the fact that 
>A) I'm very new to this (like 2.5 months ...)

this is probably your saving grace in not being really roasted over
this. i would wager that you change your mind about things as time
passes. no, i'm not talking about "flaunting it." i'm talking about
very *basic* human rights, something like the right to walk down the
street without getting your head smashed in with a baseball bat
because some ignorant jerk thinks that you look a little bit faggy.
the list of things that you cannot do because you are queer is very
long right now; and it takes a while to realize it. hang in there.

>B) I Haven't yet been personally exposed to homophobic people
>C) I've had the luck and fortune to be sorrounded by great people, most
>   of which were straight, and most of which completely accepted me with   
>   no hesitation (Hey! My parents don't count! :) )

you are incredibly lucky. i happen to be equally lucky; my family and
friends had no problems with me. i almost never come into contact with
homophobes. but as my circle of friends grows, and as my wings spread
i feel more and more how small the cage is for queer people. i begin
to realize just how many problems american society has with us. it's
not a nice realization.

--mike
Newsgroups: soc.motss