From: wyatt@ccu.umanitoba.ca (David Anthony Wyatt)
Newsgroups: soc.motss
Subject: List of GLBO* Historical and Celebrity Figures  Part 1
Date: 26 Jan 93 17:19:21 GMT
Organization: University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada


       Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual Historical and Celebrity Figures

There are several good questions worth asking about a list such as this.
Among them are:

1.  Are these listings "proven" or accurate?  Are the sources reliable?  
2.  Are these people really gay/lesbian/bisexual?  
3.  Why so many men and so few women?
4.  What is the point of such a list anyway?

There are many reasonable answers to each question, but here are mine:

1.  These sources aren't particularly reliable.  None are.  Authorities that 
range from thorough professional biographies to rumours disagree on just who 
is/was or isn't/wasn't, and have about the same track record for accuracy.  
There is also a substantial cross-pollination between list-makers.  An erroneous
listing will show up again and again on other sources.

2.  Perhaps the acid test is: "Which of them would have self-identified as gay,
lesbian or bisexual?"  The answer is "few."  Different cultures and different 
times would have made the admission impossible for some, and ridiculous for
others.  Often the evidence surrounding a medieval figure is a single remark
or a curious juxtaposition of events or persons.  Hardly conclusive evidence.

3.  The gender balance of the list reflects at least two factors.  One is the
gender of the compiler and the kinds of sources used.  Second is the place of
women in most societies and times, where celebrity or positions of historical
noteworthness were difficult or impossible to achieve.

4.  There is no point to such a list.  Famous gays and lesbians do not validate
the existance of non-famous gays and lesbians.  Centuries of closeted men and 
women likewise adds no cachet of validity to today's men and women.  The only
point can be "curiousity".

Read on, and enjoy.

                               REFERENCES

AA
"People" chapter of the _Alyson_Almanac_, 1st ed., Boston: Alyson Publications,
1989.
	The strong distinction between homosexual and heterosexual,
	which many people now consider to be so important, has not
	existed in all times and cultures.  Some of the individuals
	listed here would not have considered themselves to be gay,
	or lesbian, or bisexual -- for many, that terminology did
	not even exist. ... The gay or bisexual orientation of most
	individuals listed here is well established.  For some, 
	however, the evidence is circumstantial, or based on rumor;
	...					       ---AA p. 142


BOL
Wallechinsky, David, Irving Wallice and Amy Wallace. "67 Renowned Homosexuals
and Bisexuals," _The_Book_of_Lists_, New York: Bantam Books, 1977.
	With the assistance of the researchers of the _Advocate_, 
	... lists have been assembled of the leading female and
	male homosexuals from past times to the present.  Included,
	also, are celebrated persons who were ... bisexual.  In
	noting modern-day names we have confined ourselves to those
	who have announced or publicly discussed their homosexuality.
							---BOL p. 336

GGG
various authors, "Great Gay Guys" column appearing regularly in _Guys_.  June 
1992 column titled "Great Gay Gals."

NSGGG
various authors, "Not So Great Gay Guys" column appearing occasionally in 
_Guys_.

GBOL-
Rutledge, Leigh W., _The_Gay_Book_of_Lists_, Boston: Allyson Publications, 1987.
 
 -once
"24 Famous People Who Acknowledged Having Had at Least One Homosexual Experience
in their Lives" 

 -bro
"7 Famous Gay Men Who Also Had a Gay Brother"

 -forces
"20 Famous Gay or Bisexual Men Who Served in the U.S. Armed Forces"

 -popes
"Heavenly Fathers: 6 Gay or Bisexual Popes"

LS
Southerland, Lori, "List of LesBiGay Musicians," an article posted to the USENET
news group _soc.motss_ 24 Oct 92 19:06:39 GMT by loris@yang.earlham.edu
     ...not everyone on this list has jumped up and said, "I'm QUEER!" but 
     there has been documentation that they are supporters of lesbians/
     bisexuals/gays

MH
Hertzog, Mark, "The List of Living, Famous "Out" People: Here It Is!", an 
article posted to the electronic discussion _GayNet_ Mon, 12 Oct 92 00:10:27 EDT
by mwh8h@uva.pcmail.Virginia.EDU
     Here, at last, is the list of names of living, famous or notable "out"
     people, in alphabetical order.  ... Please give special thanks to Ellen 
     Greenblatt in Buffalo, who sent the most recent edition of "Famous or 
     Distinguished Gays, Lesbians, Bisexuals: A List of Names," which she 
     helped prepare for the Gay & Lesbian Task Force of the American Library 
     Association.  ...
     ONE IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER: I am relying on second-hand information.  I
     use only that which I judge to be reliable and have made reasonable 
     efforts to verify those names included, but it is possible that I 
     inadvertantly may have identified someone as les/bi/gay who is not.  
     I apologize in advance if this was done, and will retract any such 
     name if it belongs to a heterosexual. ... A list of some living, 
     famous people who have publicly acknowledged that they are lesbian, 
     gay or bisexual (as of October 1992)
 -not
     I include these names in that they were passed along by people who
     believed, and in some cases insisted, that they were out of the 
     closet--that is, had publicly acknowledged being gay, lesbian or 
     bisexual.  I have verified that, to date, they have not.

NF
Fink, N. "Homosexual and Bisexual Rulers, and When they Ruled," an article 
posted to the USENET news group _alt.sex.motss_ 7 Mar 92 15:36:29 GMT
by fink2@alcor.concordia.ca (NFink)

OOAT
Boughner, Terry, _Out_of_All_Time:_A_Gay_and_Lesbian_History_, Boston: Alyson
Publications, 1988.

TM
Mansfield, Tim, "My Very Own Out List", an article posted to the USENET group
_soc.motss_ 25 Sep 92 05:06:04 GMT by timbomb@cs.uq.oz.au (Tim Mansfield)
     Inspired by the recent discussion of famous living out people in 
     bit.listserv.gaynet, I've decided to post my list of queer men 
     and women that I've painstakingly compiled from various postings 
     in motss and gaynet.

     I've taken out the doubtfuls, the speculations and the did-it-once-
     but-I'm-het-now, crowd as not interesting.

-- 
---David Wyatt          
Internet:  David_Wyatt@UManitoba.CA            Continuing Education Division
Bitnet:    WYATT@UOFMCC                      University of Manitoba DOWNTOWN
                                          Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada R3T 2N2
Newsgroups: soc.motss