History lesson

[kengr]

Reading griffen's journal entry about gay history made me decide that I should post this little historical note of my own.

Back in 1974, I was an 18 year-old fresh from living for most of a year on a farm, and before that living in Spokane, Washington, which a friend who worked there for a while aptly described as "the biggest 'small town' I ever saw".

I'd met a guy at Portland Community College. He was fun to be around and at some point, I found out that he was gay. I don't remember the details. I do remember winding up with quite a crush on him.

He was pretty good about it, though we never had sex (in spite of my trying rather hard a few times :-). We are still friends.

But I still remember one day when we were in downtown Portland. I was blissfully enjoying being in my love's presence. And tried to kiss him...

He took me aside and gently explained that even holding hands could get us beaten up or worse. This was a bit of a shock to my poor naive self.

I'd like it if the day came when no other young men had to be told that.

ps. You *can* see the occasional male couple holding hands in downtown Portland now. And I don't mean during Pride. We've made progress. But we could use more.

Comments

[ebonhost.livejournal.com]

*nods* That feels like what it's like here in Indy, too. You don't really see gay couples being affectionate in public, and I've noticed people giving us and Netdancer dirty looks. Too many of them. It's not really balanced by the one guy who actually gave us a surreptious thumbs-up the one time...

So much hatred and intolerance. There's not enough acceptance in this world.