From: haynes@Apple.COM (Charles Haynes)
Newsgroups: soc.bi
Subject: Re: Geraldo
Date: 16 Oct 92 23:00:28 GMT
Organization: Apple Computer Inc., Cupertino, CA

panda@Micor.OCUnix.on.ca (Elizabeth Holden) writes:

>(1)  Tom made me squirm.  Partly it was the ghastly "disguise" that made 
>him look like a refugee Batman villain, the comic kind.  And then he 
>opened his mouth....

>I hate people who generate negative stereotypes of bi's.

>On the other hand, he has built his own hell.  By deception, and mostly 
>by cowardice, he has locked himself into a world where he lives without 
>respecting his wife, finds no love in his mechanical affairs, lives in 
>fear of disease, discovery and defamation....

>And all for no reason.  All he'd need to do is stop being scared of life 
>and he'd be okay.

I sincerely doubt it. I read his book as "homework" before the show and
I felt like I should've been wearing latex gloves the entire time. The man
is slimy scum. <Ptui>

>(2) I fell madly in love with Charles and Janice.  Some people you are 
>proud to share an orientation with.  Thanks for everything you said!  
>Yeah, *some* of us are intelligent, decent human beings!

Why thank you! I'll tell Janice (she doesn't read soc.bi - actually she
doesn't read much net news at all)

>(3) Loraine didn't have much chance to say anything - Geraldo kept 
>cutting her off to speak to Tom or Jane.  Lorraine being the one with the 
>expertise, I was disappointed not to hear a little more of her insight 
>(whether I would agree with it or not).  I was interested in her line: 
>there is no homosexuality, heterosexuality or bisexuality, only 
>sexuality.... at first it sounded wrong. THen the more I thought about it 
>the more it made sense.  I'm still calling myself bi, though.  (Sexual 
>too, I guess!)

Loraine is wonderful, smart, friendly, witty, and her message was completely
lost on this audience. Every time I watch the tape I shake my head when I
hear her and say "You're absolutely right Loraine, and they just don't get
it." Right message, wrong audience.

>(4)  I was amused by the line "mainstream gay community".  THings have 
>changed in a few decades!  Hooray!

Yeah but. As I recall, Geraldo was talking about "Bi Any Other Name" winning
the Lambda Literary Award. Care to guess in what category it won? "Bisexual
Literature?" Hear my hollow laugh - there ain't no such category. We all
(Janice, Loraine, and I) decided up front that we weren't going to fight with
our Gay and Lesbian brothers and sisters for Geraldo's benefit, but there is
at least one point when Geraldo is asking Loraine about Gay acceptance of
bisexuality and I'm laughing just off camera.

>(5) Marie was embarrassing; one can't help feeling sympathy, but the 
>problem was not that her husband was bi, the problem was that her husband 
>was unfaithful and gave her AIDS.  Another deception.  Too many subjects 
>thrown into one pot.

Exactly - and she made that point pretty well. It was Geraldo's fault. It was
because she and Tom were going to be the main guests on the show that Janice
and I felt we needed to provide balance. Otherwise the message would have
been the stereotypical "Bis are confused, lying, disease carriers - watch out!"

>(6)  Geraldo seemed pretty arbitrary about what the subject *was*.  He's 
>a ditz!  NO wonder I never watch that show.

That arbitrariness is partially due to Loraine and Janice and I
beating him up about each of their proposed titles, things like:
"Bisexuals - the deception and the danger" "Bedding down with
Bisexuals" and equally wonderful stuff.

>(7) Loved the bits about "what sexual orientation are you encouraging in 
>your children". What a stupid question.  After all the interviews Geraldo 
>has done, he can't come up with something better than that?

Indeed, wasn't it infuriating? I was also surprised at his confusion when
I said that Kai wasn't old enough to tell us what gender he was. I have to
assume that Geraldo has interviewed trans-gendered people, did he completely
ignore everything they said? I guess it's possible.

>Namaste and hugs to everybody,

Thanks!

	-- Charles