READERS RESPOND

"ONE DOESN'T OFTEN HAVE A CHANCE TO EXPRESS ONE'S VIEWS TO THE PUBLIC ON THE SUBJECT OF LESBIANISM OR HOMOSEXUALITY OF ANY KIND. NOW, AS I TRY TO WRITE I FIND IT DIFFICULT BECAUSE OF NEVER HAVING EVEN BREATHED THIS TYPE OF EXISTENCE TO ACQUAINTANCES, FRIENDS OR FAMILY.

"WHEN I FIRST LEARNED THAT THERE WAS SUCH A PUBLICATION AS THE LADDER I WAS MOST EAGER TO BE A SUBSCRIBER AND HAVE THEREFORE BEEN RECEIVING THE PRINTED ISSUES FOR ALMOST A YEAR. HAVE FOUND THE STORIES DELIGHTFUL, THE INFORMATION ENLIGHTENING AND THE COMMENTS INTERESTING.

"I, LIKE MOST OTHERS, LIVE TWO LIVES, ONE FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE PUBLIC AND THE OTHER FOR MYSELF. THE MAJORITY OF THE SO-CALLED 'NORMALS' WILL NOT ACCEPT US ON ANY BASIS AND SO WE LIVE IN A SORT OF MAKE BELIEVE WORLD, A SECRET, EXCITING WORLD, BUT A BIT FRIGHTENING TOO. WHEN THE LADDER COMES TO MY DOOR ONCE A MONTH I LIVE IN THAT SECRET WORLD FOR APPROXIMATELY 20 OR 25 MINUTES WHILE I READ EACH AND EVERY WORD AND WARVEL AT THE WORK THAT IS BEING DONE TO ALLEVIATE THE PAIN OF FALSENESS THAT MOST OF US ENDURE JUST FOR THE SAKE OF NOT BEING CALLED QUEER.

"IT IS GOOD TO KNOW THAT PEOPLE OF RENOWN, DOCTORS, LAWYERS, JUDGES, ETC., ARE TRYING DESPERATELY TO SEE HOMOSEXUALITY IN THE RIGHT LIGHT AND TO TRY TO CONVINCE THE REST OF THE WORLD THAT THE HOMOSEXUAL HAS A LIFE TO LIVE AND THAT IN 99% OF THE CASES HE OR SHE IS NOT HURTING ANYONE ELSE BY THINKING ALONG DIFFERENT LINES IN RESPECT TO LOVE AND COMPANIONSHIP.

"[ KNOW IT'S GOING TO BE A LONG, HARD PULL BEFORE WE ARE ACCEPTED AS WE REALLY ARE. YOU AND 1, AND OUR CONTEMPORARIES, WILL PROBABLY NEVER SEE THE FREE WORLD WE ARE SEEKING. THERE HAVE BEEN PIONEERS IN ALL CAUSES AND I SINCERELY HOPE THAT YOU, WHO ARE PIONEERING IN THIS PARTICULAR CAUSE, WILL EVENTUALLY WIN SO THAT THOSE WHO COME AFTER US WILL HAVE A HAPPIER WORLD TO LIVE IN.

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