Friday, April 07, 2006

On this Rainy Friday, Hoping This Food for Thought and Eyecandy Brings You Enjoyment and Fullfillment


I normally don't quote Andrew Sullivan, but he must have been lucid enough to write something that I can agree with.
What say you?
Tuesday, April 4, 2006
The Next Gay Generation
04 Apr 2006 05:10 pm
Some of them are angry at my perceived nostalgia:
"As a 21 year old, Ivy-educated gay man, I find it interesting, albeit predictable, that older gay men are lamenting the death of gay culture. Frankly, I'll be much happier once drag shows and camp goes out the window. Unfortunately, I feel sincerely that the prevalence of sex shops and theaters, the celebration of farcical dress, and the obsession older gays have with a separate minority identity have done little outside give fodder to the religious right and keep us out of the mainstream. In fact, I feel that the older generation has done a great disservice by not giving us real role models and, instead, taking joy in anonymous sex in darkened theaters, dissolution of the family model, and wallowing in outrageousness. All of these things have contributed to a gay culture wherein I, as a politically active, liberal, professional, educated, monogamous, partnered, JCrew/LL Bean wearing, HIV Negative man am an unfortunate minority.
How am I supposed to support gay leadership when they seemingly endorse a culture of death (excessive partying, no interest in children, HIV, anonymous sex, etc.) and lament whenever another pit of self disrespect (i.e. sex shops/theaters, drag theaters) is closed? I truly love you and your words, Andrew, but enough is enough. Let us move on together and create a real culture with a real future and abandon the culture of separatist victimization we were forced into years ago by a repressive society."
I understand where this guy is coming from. But I don't think my essay suggests we should cling to the past. On the contrary. I wrote "Virtually Normal" for a reason and helped pioneer the idea of marriage for gay couples almost two decades ago precisely to chart such a gay future. But human beings are fallible and flawed and, well, human. While we can and should strive to move on, we need not be excessively judgmental about those in the past or present whose pace of adjustment is not so swift. I have never been an angel myself, and have often failed to live up to ideals I hold. But life is a flawed journey; and the point, at least in my Catholic soul, is the struggle and forgiveness in that struggle. I've learned that lesson the hard way. I hope my 21 year-old reader does better in his own future. He'll start from a base my own generation had no inkling of.
I might add that there's nothing to my mind in any way wrong with drag, cross-dressing or other gender-bending activities. They do not define gay life, or many gay men; but they are surely one part of gay culture and are genuine expressions of some gay men's identity. In the past, drag queens helped forge the small space in which today's 21-year-old Ivy Leaguers can now breathe. The lesson to me is that gay men should do less judging of one another. We should rather try and become the future we want to forge. And let our example, however imperfect, lead others.

5 comments:

rusty said...

your looking very good there buff....spring has sprung.

Will said...

Now why that hunky guy would want to hide behind the forsythia is beyond me. Hopefully he'll get deflowered . . . and soon! :-)

Teddy Pig said...

Andrew Sullivan is creepy in a used car salesman way. Sorry to disagree, but we have little to no past because most of it died some where around 1985. With a major help from the Republican party if I remember. Something Andrew keeps touting as respectable. Yeah he can bite me.

Anyway, lucid or whatever Andrew keeps coming up with these "brilliant" (death knell of Gay whatever) observations every 6 months or so. It's like nails on a chalk board and about as useless.

I don't identify people as gay hanging around public restrooms anymore than I identify Boy Scouts as being a branch of the military.

If Andrew wants to do something to put his incredibly short sighted observations of (the fight is over and we all need to get along) to a test he should go join the military or something and attempt to live out his gay yuppie wannabee normal fag ways in that organization. I'm sure it would be good for his anti-liberal anti-gay pride anti-speak your mind positions and no one would beat his crazy ignorant ass to a bloody pulp.
Yeah right.

People always think just because I am into Bears and S&M and have a military background I would think like that asshole. No way, he's a jerk that has no sense of where he came from where his culture came from or who he needs to thank for his current priveleges.

Sorry to go off... but Andrew Sullivan sucks ass! And not in a good way.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for stopping by our blog today, and thanks for the great comments.

Warren and Steve

Anonymous said...

I agree with a lot of what he says.... except for his perception of the young generation.

I do see a larger divide but, that is more of a generational thing over-all. Of course with every generation comes improvements...

Personally I never ever had to hide my sexually.. I never was harrased or teased. I never felt that I lost any friends by being out and open. I luckily never experience anything of the sort. But, older generations did not have that and I do that will effect ones outlook.