July, 1975

Page 17

AL

by a member of the HIGH GEAR ect the editorial policies of Madigan

ning of a new gay business in beginning of a new era for the hile many people have said many ng the other bars out of business" tent of the management of the

to instill an aura of competitive s here. For too long, the gay fied with the less than terrifs not a matter of opinion, but the bars in Cleveland were as people that frequent them would s such as Akron and Toledo for pefully, the Bayou will bring siness community of Cleveland, bars to improve themselves, in any smaller clubs that are quite not pointing at them. Rather,

to the larger clubs in Cleveland ed to support the community that n ambivalent towards the gay ence in most cases is the ownerng from the heterosexual comwned and managed by gay bususiness to SERVE the community. usiness to sinesmentat

ght or gay, will observe the to

IEN

am currently working with the

be commenting on gay women's events the problems we gay women must f suggestions from all who are common oppression. The existence in print depends upon the efforts ite in with your ideas, and help r for the complete community.

Thanks, Lynn Malloy

A DRINKING PROBLEM?

U WANT HELP?

A SOLUTION!

oholics Together -5330.

Homosexuals Superior

(Continued From Page 4)

have lead some Gays to oppose the values and institutions. of the dominant society. Thus, Gays are not merely alienated as many other Americans, but quite conscious of it, a consciousness that can naturally lead to creative responses.

Besides "centering," Freedman continues, there are other ways in which Gays function better than non-Gays; sex roles may be more egalitarian and sexuality more expressive. 'he cultivated wisdom of the Gay world is that two men or two women living together quickly see the limitations of stereotyped sex roles. Breadwinner/ homemaker/ and dominant/ submissive trips are just not as important to Gays as they are to most other people. This, of course, Freedman warns, is not always the rule but can lead to a fuller recognition of certain fundamental values, and perhaps better-thanaverage functioning in our society.

Sexually, Friedman's arguments also meet the test of logical analysis. A Gay man knows a man's body. He knows where the most stimulating erogenous zones are and is familair with the various sexual options available to his physique. A study by Martin Weinberg and Colin Williams of the Kinsey Institute reported last year that 55% of 1,057 Gay males had engaged in several sexual practices mutual masturbation, giving and receiving fellatio, and anal intercourse. It is apparent that experimentation abounds in homosexual contacts. Conversely, two non-Gay people need a good deal more instruction and practice before the act is mutually satisfying. Inhibited by initial embarrassments, they may not exchange the knowledge of sensitive areas to each other, making their encounter a hit-and-miss affair. So far as experimentation is concerned, not surprisingly, there are more than a few non-Gays who are stuck in the missionary position.

In

Is it then possible that homosexuality is in reality. more natural than its counterpart? Perhaps not. But the evidence is convincing that non-closet Gays have a much healthier attitude toward sex than many heterosexuals. the Gay world, sex is a good deal more casual than in the straight. Lacking any cultural taboo, sex for sex's sake is the rule rather than the exception, leaving many Gays greater flexibility to choose their friends and compatriots. A prominent myth concerning Gays is that they are especially creative and gifted. Scientifically, of couse, there is no method to prove or disprove this belief; yet major figures like Tchaikovsky, Handel, E. M. Forester, Tennessee Williams, Noel Coward, Kate Millet, James Baldwin, Gertrude Stein, ruman Capote, and Michelangelo lend some credence to the theory's continued existence.

It is said proportionately that there are more Gays in literature, music, painting, philosophy, dance, and the theatre than in other occupations. Why? The reasons are complex and objectively can only appear as speculation. An individual's homosexuality may itself be a source of emotional struggle or joy. Self-acceptance or the lack of it is crucial to the course of one's behavior. Since people have different ways of dealing with their emotions, some may express it creatively. Art can also be an affirmation of personal worth, a source of self-respect. Regardless of how harshly one is judged by society, one can assert his validity through creativity. A work of art becomes something outside of the creator and is evaluated on its own merits. Art work also has a permanence, a life that transcends mortality and can offer the same satisfaction as children do for heterosexuals.

The problem with such explanations, however, is that hey may be just as easily applied to heterosexuals as to Gays. Upon deeper analysis, we discover that in our cultural traditions certain roles have been prescribed for the minorities within them. For centuries, it has been more acceptable for indivduals in arts and entertainment to be homosexual han for others. Indeed, some artistic professions have been viewed as the almost exclusive province