HELEN P. BRANSON

"

_as

Homosexuals

I see

them"

HELEN P. BRANSON

Helen P. Branson's view of bomosexuals comes, as she plainly tells, only from her observation of many of them as customers and friends of a bar which she operates. The story of ber "Gay Bar" was told in a recent small book by ber (reviewed elsewhere in this issue of Mattachine Review).

The following article might well be entitled "Reasons Why Homosexuals Don't Get Married," for that is what it is about. Readers of the article, as well as sociologists and psychologists, may disagree with Helen's views, but they can hardly deny that ber points bave been scored at one time or another by people they know. They may say she bas dealt with surface symptoms and not touched all-important root causes-if there are such underlying fac tors to get at. At any rate Helen's viewpoints are food for thought. Read and see. Then don't be afraid to write if she's wrong.

Everyone has his special reason for making statements about any given subject. This is his point of view, and although he may not agree with others, he has his right to his opinion. I see homosexuality from one viewpoint that many others have not had the opportunity of utilizing.

I own and operate a homosexual bar, known as a 'gay' bar. I welcome male homosexuals only. I am in my sixth year of operation and feel that I am in a position to express convictions.

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Homosexuality IS a problem. It is a deeper one than just unusual mattachine REVIEW

sex habits. It is a growing one as these ranks-or knowledge about them-increase. In my opinion, the generally accepted interpretation is a fallacy. By this, I mean the suspicion that homosexuals live for the pleasure of the seduction of teenage boys. This fear has been based on the occasional acts of this nature, but we cannot assume that all heterosexual men seduce young girls just because there is a crime of this nature committed now and then. Any group of people has its few who give the whole clan an unsavory reputation. Most of the homosexuals abhor the exception who is drawn to youths and feel that judges should 'throw the book' at anyone guilty of such practices.

The problem is that such an unbelievably bigb percentage of adult males are not married and don't intend to be married. This leaves an equally bigb percentage of females unloved and unmar· ried,

There are several reasons why the homosexual does not want to marry. The first reason I am giving seems trivial, but I am seeing one 'mixed' marriage break up because of this. It is simply that most women do not keep house well enough for the gay man. I conmyself a neat housekeeper but my house would not suit many of my customers. Their houses or apartments are often decorator's dreams. This mixed marriage that is on the rocks is being wrecked

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