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LETTER from a homosexual and the reply
Not long ago, JUSTICE WEEKLY, a tabloid weekly published in Toronto, printed the following letter from a homosexual who called himself a 'perplexed guy.' It was followed a few issues later with a reply. Both are reprinted here. JUSTICE WEEKLY, while made up mostly of news that emphasizes the sensational side of sex offenses, has also published many articles from MATTACHINE REVIEW and ONE.
The Editor, "Justice Weekly," Dear Sir:
WAIT! Please do not throw this in the waste paper basket just because it is anonymous. Prudence rather than insincerity dictates the anonymity! I know of no other place to turn for an answer to the following question:
In the past year, I have gone through a number of painful emotional crisès, some of which could have been dangerous to myself or to others. Apart from the unhappiness experienced by me, I am ashamed of the trial I have been to others who have had to deal with me. I can't work out a solution on my
own.
Where can one find someone to talk, to who is willing to accept that homosexuality is 'perhaps 'normal to that person,' who won't make one feel guilty or ashamed, who won't (necessarily) launch upon a possibly futile campaign to make the person heterosexual... but who will help with a personality problem which would have existed in any event due to
childishness I am unable (by my own efforts) to overcome? Someone who will not say "Ah, ha-he is neurotic because he is homosexual."
Someone, in short, who doesn't, give a damn (pardon the expression) about how you live your sex life per se but who sees you as a whole human being needing some sort of guidance,
To be childish is bad enough. But to be childish, to know you are, to try again and again to 'grow up' and somehow always fail, to know you are a nuisance at times to your friends or fellow-workers due to your neurotic behaviour, to see yourself in perspective as a sick person .. and yet to know of no one to whom you can turn for perhaps only a word or two of guidance this is discouraging, apart from the awareness that too-much of one's time is spent in unhappiness.
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On the other hand, the prospect of sitting across from someone who may feel a condemnation or even revulsion (however unwarranted) makes one hesitate to seek help. As a final incentive (Cont'd on page 40)
mattachine REVIEW
Mattachine REVIEW
COPYRIGHT 1956 BY THE MATTACHINE SOCIETY, INC.
VOLUME II
NUMBER 5
OCTOBER 1956
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Articles
MORALS AND PSEUDO-MORALS, by Prof. E. Servadio.
WAR STORY, by Gilles Armor....
THE TWELFTH MAN, by Marc Daniel.
HOMOSEXUALITY IN THE NEAR EAST, by A. Amin.
COMMENT ON THE DANISH LAW, by Lis Nancke.
Many illustrations in this issue, courtesy of VRIENDSCHAP MAGAZINE, Amsterdam, Hol.
Short Features
LETTER FROM A HOMOSEXUAL, by "Perplexed Guy"..
A Reply to LETTER FROM A HOMOSEXUAL, by G. H. H...
THE EDITOR SHOWED CONSIDERATION, by Allen Hellman.
Departments
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18
25
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.40
42
BOOK REVIEWS. ·, · · · ·
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MATTACHINE PUBLICATIONS...34
READERS WRITE. MATTACHINE DIRECTORY..
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43
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Please address all communications concerning the REVIEW rect to the Publications Department, Mattachine Review, Mission Street, San Francisco 5, Calif. All replies and orders for booklets, etc., sent in sealed plain envelope.
MATTACHINE REVIEW is published bi-monthly by the Mattachine Society, Inc., Post Office Box 1925, Los Angeles 53, California. Entire contents copyrighted, and may not be reproduced without permission. For information regarding manuscripts, advertising, directory of Mattachine Society, Inc., see page 43 of this issue.
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