OFFICE OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Mattachine Society, Inc.

OBSCENITY NEEDS TO BE DEFINED

The declaration by the U. S. Supreme Court that ONE magazine is not obscene (see page 4) is a victory for freedom of expression everywhere in the U. S., and not a gain for the 'homosexual press' alone.

Changing times, changing attitudes and the general progress of human civilization call for old standards to be examined critically from time to time. The vague old bogey of obscenity is one of these and within the past year or so sponsors of censorship on obscenity grounds have been called to task more than once, but the right of Federal and State governments to judge and ban obscene material has been upheld, as we believe it should be (see MATTA. CHINE REVIEW, July 1957).

We believe that ONE and MATTACHINE agree that freedom to publish educational information, in an interesting and readable form, on the subject of sex variation is a genuine service in the interest of truth, justice and human well-being. At the same time, respect for law must be maintained. This does not mean, however, that laws believed to be unjust cannot be criticized.

The Supreme Court has hit the nail on the head in our opinion when it called for a more precise definition of obscenity. What is obscene to one person may not be to another. The American Law Institute recognized this more than a year ago when it tried to arrive at a definition of the term, but ideas were so divergent that it virtually skipped the subject in its Model Penal Code. The need for the definition remains. It should be of uniform application to the entire nation-and not something that 48 state legislatures can butcher to suit varied ignorance, prejudice and political opportun •

ism.

Neighboring Canada, perhaps, has the problem, too.

In a recent issue of the tabloid, JUSTICE WEEKLY, published in Toronto, a list of 152 publications-mostly magazines which apon U. S. newsstands from coast to coast, were named as banned (Continued on page 28)

2 Printed in U. S. A.

mattachine REVIEW

mattachine

REVIEW

FOURTH YEAR OF PUBLICATION-MATTACHINE REVIEW founded January 1955 Mattacbine Foundation established 1950; Mattachine Society, Inc., chartered 1954

Volume IV

FEBRUARY 1958

Contents

ARTICLES

Number 2

VICTORY FOR ONE by John Logan... HOMOSEXUALS AS I SEE THEM by Helen P. Branson.. 8 ENIGMA UNDER SCRUTING by Sexology Research Staff.. 14 SHORT FEATURES

COURT RELEASES KINSEY MATERIAL... CUSTOMS' SEVEN-YEAR ITCH IS SCRATCHED. SOCIETY FOR THE SCIENTIFIC STUDY OF SEX. ARMY REVIEWS RISK DISCHARGES..

CODE OF EUSEBIUS.

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DR. FISHER COMMENTS ON HOMOSEXUALITY by Dewi Morgan...

GERMAN POLICE SHIELD EXTORTION VICTIM..............

DEPARTMENTS

EDITORIAL.... FOREIGN PUBLICATIONS..18 BOOK REVIEWS.

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2 MATTACHINE DIRECTORY.22 READERS WRITE..........25 MATTACHINE SALUTES...27

MATTACHINE REVIEW is published monthly by the Mattachine Society, Inc., 693 Mission Street, San Francisco, San Francisco 5. Calif., a non-profit, non-partisan organization founded in the public interest for the purpose of providing true and accurate information toward the solution of problems of human sex behavior, particularly those of the homosexual adult. The REVIEW is available on many U.S. newsstands.