Introduction: Placing the Self Within the Frame 1 New Storytelling
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Notes Introduction: Placing the Self within the Frame 1. This is performed by the Mamas and the Papas (see Chapter 6). 2. For various opinions on the potential of textual analysis see Childs (2006), Kovala (2008) and McKee (2003). 3. Although Gwen Haworth’s documentary is relevant to lesbian discourse, as Haworth, a male to female transsexual, expresses lesbian desire, I have not included this work in my book, as the focus is largely transsexual. Despite this, Haworth’s documentary is highly contiguous to the theoretical ideas expressed within this book, concerning self-reflexive narrative expression and sexual diversity. 4. Also there are still laws which oppress non-heterosexuals within the Western world. 5. It is important to note that this often includes production funding from Anglocentric sources, which bears its own implications of textual influence. 1 New Storytelling: Transitions from the Past 1. Howard Auster had changed his name to Howard Austen early in his career, on advice from Gore Vidal to avoid advertising his Jewish identity at a time when it was hard to obtain work as a Jew (Vidal, 1995). In Gore Vidal’s mem- oir, Howard’s name is restored to the original spelling; hence I have adopted it here. 2. I use the term ‘literature’ in the general sense as ‘serious writing’, esteemed by authority such as academia. 3. I am only discussing the media of radio in this chapter, as a precursor to later developments in television, film and new media through the World Wide Web. 4. It is important to note that in some non-Western countries conversely homo- sexuality under certain circumstances may be considered to offer positive myths. For example the Fa’afafine (feminised domesticated male homosexu- als) of Samoa (briefly discussed in Chapter 7) are considered a blessing to heteronormative households, in their ability to work at home. However, I would argue that whilst this offers some positive context, it is not beneficial, or liberating, to the homosexual individual. 5. Roland Barthes’s original quote uses the opposition of lion and Negro, in relation to an analysis of a black soldier giving a French salute. I have made the substitution of imperial power and the dispossessed, partly to reflect the changing use of the term ‘Negro’, since this work was first published, and partly to clarify the contrast/opposition. 6. The programme was transmitted in two parts. Unfortunately the second episode is no longer available from the archive (Ledgard, 2008). 232 Notes 233 7. Male homosexuality was legalised for those aged over 21, with certain conditions, in 1967 (see Chapters 2 and 3). 8. Alan Bennett’s play An Englishman Abroad (BBC, 1983, UK) discusses Guy Burgess’s life as an expatriate spy in Russia (see Chapter 6). 9. Here I am citing the revised edition produced in 1963: the original edition of 1948 concluded with a murder and suicide. Gore Vidal was pressured by his publishers to end the original text this way, and desired to change it. 10. Tom Robinson was famously criticised for marrying a woman, and seeming to neglect a homosexual identity (Knitting Circle, 2008a). Boy George in his initial career suggested that he would rather have a cup of tea than sex with a man or a woman, despite being considered as exclusively homosexual later in his career (Knitting Circle, 2008b). 2 Gay Identity and Self-Reflexivity 1. Christopher Isherwood tells us in Christopher and His Kind (1977) that his earlier autobiographical work Lions and Shadows (1947 [originally 1938]) was imbued with fictional licence, as he did not want to disclose the more intimate details of his sexuality. 2. ‘The Theatres Act of 1968 repealed the Lord Chamberlain’s power to censor stage plays before granting a licence for performance’ (British Library, 2008), this was informed by the government report on ‘Censorship of the Theatre’ (HMSO, 1967). John M. Clum tell us of similar restriction in New York: ‘Leg- islators added the Wales Padlock Act to the New York penal code. The Act outlawed plays “depicting or dealing with, the subject of sex degeneracy, or sex perversion.” The threatened penalty, if a theatre housed a play that “would tend to the corruption of youth or others”, was padlocking for a year and, potentially revoking its operating licence’ (Clum, 2000: 74). 3. The Green Bay Tree appeared in London and on Broadway in 1933 with Laurence Olivier. 4. An example of early gay literature is considered to be E.M. Forster’s Maurice written in 1913, published in 1971 (see Forster, 1992). 5. Before the emergence of the homosexual it is important to note that same- sex desire identities had existed (such as The Mollys – see Carl Miller, 1996); however, as this investigation foregrounds homosexual identity in relation to its heterosexual equivalent it is necessary to commence at this point. 6. Mary McIntosh argued that the homosexual should be considered under these terms as a social being before Foucault (see Weeks, 2000 and Pullen, 2007a). 7. Alan Sinfield (1994) tells us ‘Oscar Wilde appeared in three trials in 1895. In the first he sued Lord Queensbury for libel, but dropped the case when Queensbury was discovered to have embarrassing evidence about Wilde’s activities. In the second Wilde was prosecuted by the state for gross inde- cency, but this was inconclusive. At the third he was found guilty of gross indecency, with another person’ (p. 1). He was sentenced to two years with hard labour, first in Wandsworth prison, London, and then Reading gaol. 8. See also Alan Sinfield (1994), where he notes that there are many scholars who have made this connection (p. 3). 234 Notes 9. Homosexual acts between women have not been recognised as illegal in the United Kingdom. However, ‘from 1885 to 1967 all male homosexual acts and male homosexuality in England and Wales as set out in the law were completely illegal. The criminalisation of male homosexuality came with section 11 of the Criminal Law Amendment Act of 1885, which sought to reaffirm moral and social order within an outbreak of concern over national identity in the uproar over Home Rule for Ireland and the decline of the Empire, city lifestyles and contamination, and the overall political per- ception of sexual depravity’ (Edwards, 1994: 17). In 1967 sex was made legal between ‘two men over 21 in private’ (i.e. no one else in the same house), neither of them in the Armed Forces or the Merchant Navy. [Signif- icantly] this [only] applied only to England and Wales’ (Queer Chronology, 2001). 10. It stated that 37 per cent of American men had experience of at least one homosexual activity to the point of orgasm since adolescence (Kinsey et al., 1948: 626). 11. In England and Wales during 1954 (the year of the second Montagu trial) there were 6357 alleged homosexual offences known to the police, of which 2442 persons were subject to legal proceedings (subject to trial) (HMSO, 1957). 12. Wildeblood (1955) tends to focus on obtaining acceptance (more than equality); however, I am arguing that his impact laid a pathway towards equality. 13. At the time of writing Ellen DeGeneres is a highly successful talk show host in The Ellen DeGeneres Show (Warner Bros., 2003–, US). 14. On 25 April 1998 Ellen’s coming-out episode formed the centrepiece of a ‘coming out’ season on Channel 4 in the United Kingdom. 15. At the time of writing George Michael remains an international popular musician of great success. 16. Queer as Folk is discussed later (Chapter 5) in relation to the impact of creator Russell T Davies. 17. Obviously the incident of George Michael did involve an actual legislative trial, but it was more concerned with trial by media. 18. The episode was entitled the ‘Puppy Episode’ in an allusion to a comment from a TV executive that the answer to Ellen’s dilemma as a lesbian may be to own a puppy, rather than have a same-sex partner (Real Ellen Story). 19. Time Magazine, 14 April 1997. Ellen is depicted filling the front cover of the magazine. 20. Anne Heche reports this in the documentary the Real Ellen Story (Channel 4, 1998, UK). 21. Although a new series of Ellen was commissioned immediately after this commercial success, Ellen DeGeneres later claimed that the series was not supported enough by the ABC network and subsequently the ratings fell, leading to the cancellation of the series in July 1998. 22. BBC News online, website, 9 December 1998. 23. ‘The Human Rights Campaign offered free “Ellen Coming-Out House Party” kits. Supporters held get-togethers to watch the episode and collect money for HRC. ...They expected to mail out three hundred kits. ...They ultimately sent three thousand kits’ (Capsuto, 2000: 393). Notes 235 3 Community, History and Transformation 1. Civil partnerships for same-sex couples commenced in the UK in December 2005, offering similar rights as married couples. ‘The world’s first legally rec- ognized same sex marriages were performed on January 14, 2001 in Toronto. They were deemed to be legal, as of that date, by order of the Court of Appeal for Ontario on June 10, 2003, setting off court victories across Canada [leading to national legislation offering gay marriage in July 2005]. The Netherlands became the first country to legalize same sex marriage, on April 1, 2001’ (Equal Marriage, 2008). Gay marriage commenced in Spain in July 2005. In the United States, the state of Massachusetts adopted gay marriage in May 2004, while Connecticut also did this in October 2008. With regard to California, San Francisco’s mayor Gavin Newsom progressively offered gay marriage in the city in February 2004, but the courts ruled this as unconstitu- tional in March 2005.