as

for me...

Ten years ago (January, 1953) in these columns, I wrote an article entitled, "As For Me-" a strictly personal viewpoint article, depicting my crossing from the heterosexual world to the homosexual-by choice. I had stars in my eyes and flint in my soul.

Today, ten years later, the flint remains in my soul, perhaps more flintish than ever, but the stars largely have vanished from my eyes.

Why? Have I become embittered, disillusioned, defeated, retiring alone to my den to chew on the meatless bone of my dreams? No-not really. I have become just plain old garden variety disgusted. Disgusted with the average and notice I say averagehomosexual's attitude towards himself, his own kind, and the heterosexual society in which he lives. I am especially annoyed with the homosexual's attitude towards his own kind.

In every other minority group I can name, the individuals stand together for common protection. Not so the homosexual minority. We have no internal unity. No sense of belonging to a group from which we both give and receive loyalty. No sense of brotherhood-or sisterhood-whereby we extend a friendly hand to those who seek help and understanding; or perhaps to those who merely seek congenial and secure fellowship in a group which they feel is uniquely their own. Instead like a lost child-the av-

·TONY

Reyes

erage homosexual seems to look, not to his own group, and certainly never to himself for his protection and security, but always to the heterosexual.

IF ONLY THE HETEROSEXUAL UNDERSTOOD US, he bleats, ALL WOULD BE WELL. But deep within his heart he knows that this is simply not so. Acceptance comes from within, not without. Actually he is only looking for someone else to pull his chestnuts out of the fire, since he doesn't possess the guts to pull them out himself!

Certainly, individual homosexuals have won understanding and respect from heterosexuals. But respect for isolated individuals is not enough. We must have respect for ourselves as a group-because the world thinks of us as a groupif we are to survive. Isn't every other minority group up against the same kind of judgment? Why should we be any exception?

"But we are no different from them" (the heterosexuals), the homosexual wails on. "Why should we make such an issue of it all?"

Here is where we miss the boat entirely. We ARE different-we are different in that we are socially oppressed, and they are not at least for the same reasons. This is a very, very important difference. It's a difference that puts thousands of men in jail each year, it puts thousands of others in terror of losing their jobs if they are found out, and who knows how many

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