Dear ONE:

The following is of interest in re the scurrilous hokum recently purveyed by U. S. Legislators regarding security. It is from "War of Wits-The Anatomy of Espionage and Intelligence," by Ladislas Farago, Funk & Wagnalls Co., N. Y., 1954:

"It has been gossiped that some of the famous spies of recent history were notorious homosexuals. Actually, in the entire history of espionage, there are only two renowned spies who were proven homosexuals and only one whose homosexuality caused him. to engage in espionage. The legend is that sexual deviates are vulnerable to blackmail and so forced into spying activity. In point of fact, very few homosexuals have been trapped by their sexual aberrations compared with the great number of normal men who have succumbed to the charms of the opposite sex acting as decoys . . ." (Page 186). DALLAS, TEX. m

Friends at ONE:

After your rejection of my entry in your 1954 Short Story Contest, I was prompted to dash off a hasty rebuttal, but I held off my barbs until your December story issue. was printed and even until I received your first 1955 issue... At what type of reader is ONE aimed? What social, economic and educational level is this type of reader? Is ONE aimed at an heterosexual group mainly to neutralize present antagonisms towards the homosexual, or do your editors really believe they are compiling a magazine FOR homosexuals? If the first is true, much fictional work in ONE is vague; if the second is true, your stories are downright and naively insipid! To this supposedly homosexual group, your literary criticisms must appear too precious and academic to affect them.. BOSTON, MASS. m

Dear ONE:

Mr. Mailer (ONE, Jan. 1955) tells the fascinating story of his journey from bigotry to something approaching understanding. It seems particularly relevant to me, for I have been making a somewhat similar trip during the same time. . . I feel the same new freedom of attitude which Mr. Mailer describes, but to me it is so personally vital that it makes my spirit sing. To paraphrase his words, I find that I can now accept heterosexual friends on a more relaxed, hopeful basis, now that I am learning self-regard. There is much less compulsion to play-act... If I feel like dating a girl these days, it is simply to have a pleasant evening, not to try to prove to myself and to others once again that my "real self" is heterosexual. Let's face it, I can say now, it just isn't.

This freedom has given me courage to undertake the most important task of all. This is to approach a few of my best and truest heterosexual friends and explain, as gently and understandingly as possible, something of myself to them. For how else are those who labor with an imaginary homosexual stereotype to see through its illusion unless they see a contradiction in the flesh? One or two of these friends already suspected my homosexuality, I found, but had been painfully evading any mention of the subject, for fear of hurting me! So we had been playing a silly game in which both sides lose...

LOS ANGELES, CALIF. m

MATTACHINE CONVENTION

Plans are going forward for the annual convention of the Mattachine Society to be held May 14th and 15th in Los Angeles. The big new feature of this convention is going to be a series of open forums to be held the afternoon of May 14th, to which the public is invited. The Annual banquet will follow, featuring a guest speaker and the conferring of special awards. This has become an event of distinction in the Society, and any friends of the Society are welcome.

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