State University of New York College at Buffalo - Buffalo State College Digital Commons at Buffalo State The aM deline Davis Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, The iF fth rF eedom Transgender Archives of Western New York 4-1-1981 Fifth rF eedom, 1981-04-01 The aM ttachine Society of the Niagara Frontier Follow this and additional works at: http://digitalcommons.buffalostate.edu/fifthfreedom Part of the Feminist, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Commons Recommended Citation The aM ttachine Society of the Niagara Frontier, "Fifth rF eedom, 1981-04-01" (1981). The Fifth Freedom. 51. http://digitalcommons.buffalostate.edu/fifthfreedom/51 This Book is brought to you for free and open access by the The aM deline Davis Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender Archives of Western New York at Digital Commons at Buffalo tS ate. It has been accepted for inclusion in The iF fth rF eedom by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons at Buffalo tS ate. For more information, please contact [email protected]. THEFIFTHFREEDOM A PUBLICATION OF THE BUFFALO GAY COMMUNITY APRIL 1981 FREE "The Freedom to love whomeverand however we want" BUFFALO IN THE CLOSET? Queen City is 'closety' finds Joy of Gay Sex author By ROD HENSEL portant, not only for the individual but for the future of Gays across the Buffalo is "very friendly" but also a nation. For him, the coming out pro- "very closety town" -in the eyes of cess is the first line of defense against noted gay author Edmund White. the right wing anti-Gay groups. White, the co-author of The Joy of "My own feeling is that because Cay of De- we are homosexual we tend to think Sex and author of States issue). sire: Travels in Gay America was in we are very important (as an I Buffalo March 14-16 for a reading of don't think most people in America he says. his works and to speak before a joint even know a homosexual," meeting of Gay Professionals and "I think that most Americans really SAGE. He aired his thoughts on Buf- don't care that much about homosex- a very falo as a gay city as well as a number ual ity one way or the other. It's that of other gay topics in an interview peripheral issue, and the fact it withjhe FIFTH FREEDOM. has been given so much attention re- The author gained national ac- cently by the Moral Majority and so claim for States of Desire, a book in on, is because it is one of the few which he visits a number of Amer- things that holds the right together." ican cities to record how Gays in According to White, the right-wing each community live. In his first visit in America is composed of two very to Buffalo, he attended a private par- different groups: the very rich who ty, a Gay Prfoessionals' meeting, and "own thefactories" and the very poor visited some of the local bars. who largely populate the nation's ru- "I went to a party (here) and was ral areas or serve as blue collar very impressed with the whole range workers. "About the only thing they Silverstein, of"Man to Man, veryhuman stories to ex- a Charles author " uses of ages and occupations. That's the have in common is certain kind of major themes in gay male relationships. He co-authored with Ed- conservatism," he amine kind of thing that I think someone moral and cultural mund White the popular book "The Joy of Gay Sex." adds, and so it comes to the advan- , who lives near New York City misses. There you go to a party that's a party tage of those in control of the right of all disco people age 35 and are all wing to fan the flames of outrage on clones, or you go to party up at Co- moral issues to keep unity within 'Man to Man' explores lumbia and they're all academics. their own group. But last night there was one cook, "The fact that most gay people are and themes of gay life one barber, about three professors still in the closet allows the right and there was one person in his sev- the Moral Majority to create an'illu- MAN TO MAN: GAY COUPLES IN relationships; this is it! enties and one person who was eight- sion of Gays - they're able to paint a AMERICA. By Dr. Charles Silver- Every section, chapter and page is een. That kind of range think is ter- picture of Gays being selfish, narcis- I affluent, child molesters. And stein, Copyright 1981, William Mor- real in itsrelating to gay life. The vari- rific - that to mc was very encourag- sistic, rowand Co. Inc. New York. $12.95. ous chapter titles are covered very ing and fun to be in that kind of a very distorted picture of Gays is well, but one cannot help but hope group," he said. coming down the tubes," saysWhite. By JOHN A. FAULRING jR that the author, or someone as com- White feels such intermingling not But he adds that picture can only petent, will follow up and study all of only shows a healthy gay communi- be maintained as long as Gays stay in Chapter Thirteen of Man to Man them in more depth. ty, but also bodes well for its future. the closet. "It seems to mc the single begins: "This study of gay love rela- The Joy of Gay Sex (which Silver- "For instance that eighteen year old, most constructive thing that any Gay out tionships began with five goals: to ex- stein co-authored) was a "how to" he now has some sort of model in his man or woman can do is to come amine the major themes in gay male book. This is a "how it has been mind of what it will be like to be gay to at least one other person." relationships; to examine the father/ done" book. Sometimes it worked, and 70, and it doesn't seem so horri- "It sounds very primitive, but I son relationship and how it may af- sometimes it didn't. It doesn't present fying-I mean it certainly wouldn't in think that's very important. If right- fect later life; to hypothesize how the an "ideal" picture of what we all this case. This particular 70-year old wing Republicans and fundamental- coming-out experience may shed would like the gay life to be, but it was-very active and very charming." ist Christians have to deal with the light on the origin of homosexuality; does present a real one. It draws "I suppose the only negative thingI fact that their uncle is gay, that their what the effects of early sexual and many similarities between homosex- could say," he continued, "is that it cousin is gay, that this nice person groc- ual and heterosexual lifestyles and does seem like a fairly closety town in who is helping them load their REVIEW sexual habits. It could be of help to some ways. For example, the group eries at the supermarket is gay, that I fatherly lawyer that on the those of both orientations in under- was speaking to, Gay Professionals, this wonderful, emotional experiences may be for their real estate is choice of lovers; and, finally, to ex- standing the other. they were very careful not to mention they're going to Silverstein has given us a book that the titles ofmy books (in the newslet- gay, that their charming woman amine the geographical diversity of "they have to deal gay life in the United States." It ac- should point the way to many studies ter sent out to members"). dentist is gay-once can no longer complishes all of this and more. in the future. I think that his informal He says such an occurence would with these things they up these bugaboos about doubt anyone can read this book, subjective way of interviewing has not be "common" across the country summon I the child molester or (John) Gacey as anyone gay that is, and not see them- the best chance of giving us the most in cities of Buffalo's population, but selves each and every chapter. accurate picture possible; especially also offered a hypothesis as to why a a typical gay." in stem be of something as nebulous as gay cou- large segment of Buffalo's Gays While coming out may help Some of what we see may not some what we'd like to feel is the real us, ples, gay sex, gay love and gay com- choose to remain "in the closet." the anti-Gay tide sweeping country, admits but the insights and stories told here munity. "There are two ingredients that are quarters of the White aspects of gay life will be hard are a way to accept, understand and Chapter One: "Fathers, Sons and really important in people coming some from Many Lovers" examines how the father out. One is thatthey be economically to sell to the straight community. grow past experiences. particular stories, with a change of name and a molds the gay boy's image of what a independent. Two is that they live in One issue in is gay promis- "a thing be slight alteration ofscenario, could be lover should be, and needs to be, to a town wherethey did not grow up. If cuity, which he calls to our story. him. This is not the usual absent or you live in the same town where your celebrated." as ofthe If you are looking for charts, weak henpecked male role, but as family is still living, then you'll be re- "I see it(promiscuity) one graphs, cold hard facts,., statistical something desirable in role as well as luctant to come out.