READERS RESPOND

"I WANT TO SHOUT AN ENORMOUS BRAVO TO M.Z.B.'S THINGS AS THEY ARE LETTER IN YOUR JULY 158 ISSUE. I AM SICK TO DEATH OF THESE SOAPSUDSY POLLYANNA GAY PEOPLE WHO ACT LIKE THEY'VE BEEN MUCHLY MALIGNED BY A GAY STORY OR NOVEL WITH AN UNHAPPY ENDING.

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"FOR YEARS GAY PEOPLE HAVE YAPPED ABOUT THE CENSOR' SOME VAGUE CHARACTER, HALF FBI AND HALF JAM PUBLISHER WHO 'INSISTED' ON THE UNHAPPY ENDING. BULL. THERE ARE GAY WRITERS WHO SIMPLY SEE A STORY THAT WAY.

"TO ME, IT BOILS DOWN TO FACING THE FACTAND I DO MEAN FACING IT WITHOUT ANY OF THIS OH-BUT| 'M-AN-INDIVIDUAL CRAP THAT YOU

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ARE A MEMBER OF A VERY PARTICULAR AND COMPLETELY DISTINCTIVE MINORITY THAT IS DISCRIMINATED AGAINST IN A UNIQUE MANNER. AND WITH DISCRIMINATION (AND WHO WILL DENY THAT?!) AYE THERE'S THE RUB THERE'S YOUR UNHAPPY ENDING!

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"THESE HAPPY ITSY-BITSY VIGNETTES THAT YOU AND ONE PUBLISH WELL, THEY ARE OBVIOUSLY NECESSARY FOR SOME OF YOUR READERS, BUT

I WANT TO JOIN M.Z.B. IN HER PLEA AND LET YOU KNOW THERE ARE OTHERS WHO FEEL THE SAME AS SHE."

K.O.N., EAGLE ROCK, CALIF.

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"MY HIGHEST REGARDS TO .Z.B. FOR HER PLEA FOR REALITY, BEING A REALIST MYSELF, I WISH TO SEE LIFE PORTRAYED IN ITS TOTALITY AS EACH ONE OF US SEES IT. YET WHAT A SUBJECTIVE MATTER 'REALITY' IS, WITH EACH PERSON TO HER OWN SPECIAL VISION AND EXPERIENCE. THE OUTLOOKS OF A CYNIC, A JACK LONDON AND A POLLYANNA NECESSARILY DIFFER VERY MUCH. SO, LET US HAVE 'REALISM BY ALL MEANS YET HAVE IT FROM ALL SIDES OF THE MATTER, AS COMPOSES THE GREAT VARIETY AND MEANING OF HUMAN EXPERIENCE."

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B.S., SAN LEANDRO, CALIF.

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