Those who worry that, in the Bush administration, science tends to lose out if religious interests dictate another outcome, will not be reassured by this news. Karl Rove doesn’t seem to understand that there’s a limit on what non-evangelical Republicans or conservatives will put up with. Making a mockery of FDA deliberations may be one of those things, like the Schiavo case, in which people simply lose patience.
MORE THAN VIRTUALLY NORMAL: Here’s a revealing email from a 20-year-old poli sci major at UCSB. If I wanted proof of my argument in “The End of Gay Culture,” this is somewhat definitive:
I came out about a year ago while I was still living at home in Valencia (a suburb of Los Angeles in northern LA County). I am your typical guy, I played football in high school; I surf, snowboard, hunt, and fish. When I came out it was a shock to everyone who knew me. The suburb in which I lived was a close knit community centered around the family – like most suburbs I guess. Because of my football skills I was well known around my High School campus and my town. When I decided to come out, about a year after I graduated from high school, I thought it would be a big deal. But to my surprise, it was not. Of course it was gossip and word spread quickly, but it wasn’t as bad as I had previously expected. It was shocking because no one had expected it. But in the end no one cared one way or the other. I have tons of straight male friends who treat me the same now as they did when I was in the closet. Actually a group of my ex-teammates and I went to TigerHeat – a Thursday night club in West Hollywood – a few months ago and had a great time! TigerHeat is mostly the younger crowd; there are the typical drag queens and Go-go dancers. I was so relieved and pleased to see that my friends, who are ultra-hetro, were still my friends whether I was gay or straight. It’s like I am one of them, one of the guys. My one friend, Eric, asked me who I thought was cute out of our group of friends. I couldn’t stop laughing! I had named a few and then he replied, “Hey man what about me? You dont think I’m hot??”
I can remember when I was still in High School laying in bed at night telling myself that there was no way on earth that I could be gay. Not me I would say, I’m not GAY. I don’t act gay, I don’t dress gay. How can I be gay? I play football and I kiss girls! I’m not gay! But, like every gay man out there, I had to take it in strides; I had to deal with it my own way. And I did just that. The rest was history. I am out to pretty much everyone I know and meet. I am so much better for it. I had made a big deal out of something that was not a big deal.
I am writing you because I am living proof of what you are taking about. I have no idea what the Gay Culture of the 70s and 80s is about. I had no idea that AIDS had such a huge impact on gay life. I am completely ignorant of the pain and tragedy endured by the older generation. I respect what they did. I live my life the way I want. I am who I am. I have the freedom to be ‘out’ and not have to worry or hide who I really am. I guess I take it for granted. I guess I am guilty of that. I HATE the stereotypes and the labels put on gay people. I hate the idea of West Hollywood and the Rainbow. I am normal. I do not like the idea that I have to identify myself as gay. Homosexuality is still a touchy subject with some people, but it is definitely not taboo. Most of the time I don’t even think about my sexuality, it’s just not an issue anymore. When I really think about it, to me it’s odd that I don’t even know what the gay generation before mine accomplished. I have absolutely no comprehension of what the ones before me and my fellow boys put up with. The battle they fought, and won, for me. I can’t even imagine living back in the 70s, if I did live back then – I say that as if it were hundreds of years ago – I’d probably still be in the closet. How long ago are we talking about here? Two to Three decades, that’s it.
I am gay. I am different, but I am not weird. I am not inferior. I am normal, I am one of the guys.
And making history. The great challenge for gay people in the next decade or so will be, in many places, taking yes for an answer.
The Dish 