EDITORIAL

For the homosexual, as for almost everyone else, "Tis the season to be jolly . . ." And since the homosexual is supposed to be gay, this shouldn't be difficult. After all, haven't things changed for the better in the last few years?

True, your Christmas presents may arrive in the mail slightly untidy -having been opened along the way by postal inspectors. The physique photos that you were giving yourself this year will have been confiscated, but don't worry you will at least get a card from the post office explaining they are holding obscene material addressed to you if you'd care to come in and explain. Then too, your little gay party, just for friends, the night before Christmas will not likely be raided even though the place may quite possibly be bugged for future reference. Or if you prefer going to "the church of your choice" Christmas eve with the loved one of your choice, which would be nice we admit, you'll be warmly received, as long as no one knows you're gay.

But be gay anyway! The problem of homosexuality is not what it was ten years ago. By now the public has become half-aware of the existence of information previously suppressed. It has learned that you are unhappy, bewildered, uninformed, sometimes suicidal caught or about to be caught in a net. And because of an appalling unavailability of accurate information, it erroneously considers you either perverted or diseased-maybe both. But still be gay. It has more recently been discovered that homosexuality is "a curable illness," and that if you are a pervert, you are at least a "normal pervert."

Take heart in the thought that there are three million more like you in the United States alone. Take pleasure in your artistic temperament, in your special attitude-in being "different." This, indeed, is the touchstone of the season's spirit. Personally you have everything: you lack deep seriousness over certain things normal men take seriously. You are flippant, sardonic. You willfully attach importance to most things that other men find trivial, and, on the other hand, you regard cynically subjects common opinion holds essential to spiritual welfare. You have a lively sense of luxury. You value elegance. You are emotional, but fantastic. You are vain, talkative, witty, and theatrical. You have keen insight and quick sensibility combined with innate frivolity. You have a wonderful gift for delightful embroidery. You have vitality, brilliance, but seldom strength. You are aloof. And best of all, you have youth. Remember, "homosexuality is for the young," and we are all young-

once.

Yes, as we pause to consider and count our blessings this Christmas season, we realize there are many reasons to be jolly.

Merry Christmas, Don Slater, Editor

P.S.: Yes, and we suspect Don Slater still believes in Santa Claus too!

Robert Gregory

Alison Hunter

William Lambert Marcel Martin

Eve Elloree George Mortenson

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