Before Stonewall (1984) - full transcript

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WITH ADDITIONAL SUPPORT
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- SERGEANT MCGEE,
AS STAGE MANAGER OF THIS TROOP,

I ORDER YOU TO REPORT
TO WARDROBE...

FOR ASSIGNMENT
TO LADIES OF THE CHORUS.

- WHAT!

all: * OH

* NOW WE'RE IN THE CHORUS *

* DRESSED UP IN GIRDLES
THAT SQUEEZE *

* WE'RE HERE TO ROMANCE WITH *



* TO SING AND TO DANCE WITH

*A BUNCH OF DIRTY GUYS
LIKE THESE *

- TEDDY, TELL ME HOW YOU
FEEL ABOUT PIONEER SQUARE

TODAY AS COMPARED
TO 20 YEARS AGO.

BEING ABLE TO WALK THROUGH
IT DRESSED THIS WAY.

- I THINK IT'S A MIRACLE,

BUT PART OF MY MIND
DOESN'T BELIEVE IT.

- WHY IS THAT?

- I STILL KEEP EXPECTING
THE SHIT TO HIT THE FAN.

- THE BAR PATRONS WHO RIOTED
IN GREENWICH VILLAGE

AFTER A ROUTINE POLICE RAID
ON A GAY BAR, THE STONEWALL INN,

IN JUNE OF 1969,
COULD NOT HAVE KNOWN

THAT THEIR WILD INSURRECTION
WOULD ENTER HISTORY

AS THE BIRTHDAY OF THE GAY
LIBERATION MOVEMENT.



- GAY IS PROUD.

crowd: GAY IS PROUD!

- TODAY, THE LESBIAN
AND GAY COMMUNITY

IS A HIGHLY VISIBLE ASPECT
OF AMERICAN SOCIETY.

- GAY IS LOVE.

crowd: GAY IS LOVE!

- HOW DID THIS COME ABOUT?

BY FOCUSING ON
THE UNCONVENTIONAL BEHAVIOR

AND THE OFTEN LONELY REBELLION
OF THOSE HOMOSEXUALS

WHO LIVED BEFORE STONEWALL,

WE CAN BEGIN TO UNDERSTAND
HOW THE GAY COMMUNITY EVOLVED.

- I FELT LIKE I WAS
THE ONLY ONE, UNTIL I LEFT HOME.

HOME WAS IN NORTH CAROLINA.

I WAS BROUGHT UP ON A FARM.

I KNEW ENOUGH NOT
TO TALK ABOUT IT.

I KNEW ENOUGH TO HIDE.

- WHERE I GREW UP IN IOWA,

NOBODY KNEW ANYTHING
ABOUT SEXUALITY,

AND THERE WAS NO SEX EDUCATION
IN THE HIGH SCHOOLS,

JUST THE MISINFORMATION
THAT KIDS BANDY ABOUT.

THAT'S ALL.

- AND THE ANSWER TO WHAT
I KNEW ABOUT SEXUALITY WAS:

NOTHING.

I'D NEVER HEARD
THE WORD "LESBIAN."

MY MOTHER WOULD NOT
TALK ABOUT IT AT ALL,

NOTHING ABOUT SEXUALITY.

ONE OF MY FRIENDS'
FATHER WAS A DOCTOR.

AND SHE USED TO SNEAK
HIS MEDICAL BOOKS OUT,

AND WE'D LOOK AT HIS MEDICAL
BOOKS AND READ TERMS

AND FIND OUT THINGS
THROUGH THOSE.

BUT NONE OF US
KNEW VERY MUCH.

- I HELD THE BELIEF THAT YOUNG
WOMEN FELL IN LOVE WITH HORSES,

AND MEN FELL IN LOVE
WITH ONE ANOTHER.

- "HOMOSEXUALITY" HAS
ALWAYS BEEN A DIRTY WORD.

I CANNOT REMEMBER,

IN MY 70-SOME YEARS,

THE TIME WHEN IT
WASN'T A DIRTY WORD.

BUT ON THE OTHER
HAND, HOMOSEXUALITY,

THE PRACTICE OF IT,
WAS NOT A DIRTY THING.

- I HAD A DECIDED ADVANTAGE
WHEN I WAS VERY YOUNG,

IN THE FACT THAT I HAD
AN AUNT, KATE,

AND AN UNCLE, VINCE,
WHO WERE BOTH GAY.

THEY APPROVED OF EVERYTHING
I DID AND ENCOURAGED ME.

AND MY FATHER HATED THEM
BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T GET MARRIED.

SEE, EVERYBODY KNEW NOT
TOO MUCH ABOUT THE GAY LIFE

BECAUSE OUTSIDE
OF THE COWBOYS,

AND THAT WAS
NATURAL TO THEM,

IT'S NEVER BEEN BROUGHT OUT.

BUT THEY WERE
DEFINITELY GAY,

BECAUSE THEY
HAD TO HAVE SEX.

'CAUSE IF THEY DIDN'T
HAVE SEX WITH THE OTHERS,

THEY HAD IT WITH ANIMALS.

- *HE WAS ONLY
A LAVENDER COWBOY *

* THE HAIRS ON HIS CHEST
NUMBERED TWO*

*BUT HE LONGED
TO FOLLOW THE HEROES *

* AND FIGHT LIKE
THE HE-MEN DO *

* BUT HE WAS INWARDLY TROUBLED

* BY A DREAM THAT
GAVE HIM NO REST *

* THAT HE'D GO WITH
HIS HEROES IN ACTION *

* WITH ONLY TWO HAIRS
ON HIS CHEST *

- FOR MOST PEOPLE
WHO WERE ATTRACTED

TO MEMBERS OF THEIR OWN SEX,

DENIAL OF THESE FEELINGS
WAS THEIR ONLY CHOICE.

GETTING CAUGHT OFTEN
RESULTED IN RUINED LIVES,

IMPRISONMENT, COMMITMENT
TO INSTITUTIONS, OR SUICIDE.

- MY MOTHER WAS TOLD

THAT I WAS LIVING
A LESBIAN LIFE WITH VALERIE.

ALL SHE HAD TO SAY WAS I
WAS LIVING A LESBIAN LIFE,

AND THAT WAS GROUNDS
TO HAVE YOU COMMITTED

TO AN INSANE ASYLUM
WITHOUT ANY HEARING, ESPECIALLY.

AT LEAST, I WAS PICKED
UP OFF OF THE STREET

ON A FRIDAY,
THROWN IN THE POLICE CAR.

THEY CAME TO VAL'S--
TO THE APARTMENT HOUSE,

AND VAL KNEW ABOUT IT.

SHE KNEW THEY WERE OUT THERE
ON THE STREET LOOKING FOR ME.

SO SHE CAME AND FOUND
ME FIRST AND WARNED ME.

BUT I NEVER GOT
TO THE APARTMENT.

THEY TOOK ME RIGHT
FROM THE STREET

AND PUT ME DOWN INTO THE PSYCHO
WARD AT GENERAL HOSPITAL.

- WHEN I COME OUT,
WE DIDN'T HAVE THE WORD "GAY."

THE WORD FOR US IS
"TEMPERAMENTAL."

SO WE'RE "TEMPERAMENTAL."
WE'RE "THAT WAY."

THIS IS ABOUT ALL
THEY HAD FOR US.

THIS WAS ABOUT ALL
WE HAD FOR OURSELVES.

- WE DIDN'T CALL IT.
WE DID IT.

- WHAT YOU CALL
NOW IN THE LIFE?

BUT THEN YOU JUST
"SWEETHEARTS."

WASN'T NO PARTICULAR NAME.

YOU KNOW YOU
LIKED THE WOMAN,

AND YOU JUST
LIKED THE WOMAN.

THE FIRST TIME
I LIKED A GIRL,

NO MORE THAN ABOUT
14 YEARS OLD.

- SOMETIMES YOU WOULD
LOOK INTO A PERSON'S EYES.

HE WOULD LOOK
INTO YOUR EYES.

AND ALL OF A SUDDEN YOU'D
KNOW THROUGH THE EYES.

YOU KNEW EACH OTHER
BY A RED NECKTIE.

IT WAS VERY DARING TO WEAR
A HANKIE THAT MATCHED THE TIE.

AND THE MOMENT
THAT YOU SAW THAT,

NO MATTER WHAT
THE COLOR WAS,

YOU FIGURED THAT THERE
WAS A BROTHER THERE.

AFTER YOU HAD CRUISED EACH
OTHER BY CHASING EACH OTHER

BACK AND FORTH FROM LOOKING
IN THE SAME WINDOW

AT THE SAME THING
FOR QUITE A WHILE,

YOU MIGHT ASK THE PERSON,
"DO YOU HAVE A MATCH?"

OR "CAN YOU TELL
ME THE TIME?"

THESE WERE THE LITTLE THINGS
THAT WE WOULD BE USING

IN THE '20s, AND WE WERE STILL
USING THEM IN THE '30s,

I MIGHT ADD.

THAT WHOLE SOCIETY
WOULD HAVE BEEN KNOWN

AS THE "GAY SOCIETY"
OR THE "GAY WORLD"

OR THE "WORLD OF
THE DEMIMONDE"--

THE WORLD OF THE TWILIGHT,
THE WORLD OF NIGHT.

AND SO ALL THE PEOPLE
WHO HAD TO DO WITH THAT AREA

WERE ALWAYS CONSIDERED
PEOPLE THAT WERE TOTALLY

DISRESPECTABLE AND THEREFORE
OF VERY QUESTIONABLE MORALS.

THIS WOULD BE
THE WORLD OF DANCE.

THIS WAS THE WORLD
OF THE ARTIST.

THESE WERE THE WORLD
OF PEOPLE WHO FLITTED AROUND

IN THE PARKS AND FORESTS
AT NIGHT,

THE BOIS DE BOULOGNE,
FOR EXAMPLE,

OR HYDE PARK IN LONDON,
OR ALONG THE RIVERS,

BOTH THE THAMES
AND THE SEINE.

THE PEOPLE WHO WOULD BE OUT
AT NIGHT WANDERING AROUND

LOOSE WITHOUT GOING
SPECIFICALLY FROM ONE PLACE

TO ANOTHER WERE OBVIOUSLY
THERE FOR NO GOOD PURPOSE.

AND SO THIS IS KNOWN
AS THE WORLD OF THE DEMIMONDE.

THIS IS THE
"TWILIGHT WORLD,"

AS IT WAS KNOWN IN
THE EARLY 20TH CENTURY,

AND IT IS THE WORLD
OF THE GAY PEOPLE.

AND THE "GAY" THEREFORE
COVERS ALL OF THESE PEOPLE.

IT COVERED PROSTITUTES, COVERS
LADIES OF DOUBTFUL VIRTUE,

GENTLEMEN OF DOUBTFUL VIRTUE--

ALL THOSE UNSAVORY CHARACTERS.

- THE 1920s,
A TIME OF ECONOMIC PROSPERITY,

PROHIBITION,
AND SPEAKEASIES,

SAW AN INCREASE IN THE
POPULATION OF AMERICA'S CITIES.

WHILE MOST HOMOSEXUALS
CONTINUED TO LIVE IN ISOLATION

AND SECRECY, A FEW BEGAN TO
GATHER IN BOHEMIAN NEIGHBORHOODS

SUCH AS SAN FRANCISCO'S
BARBARY COAST,

NEW ORLEANS'S FRENCH QUARTER,

NEW YORK'S HARLEM
AND GREENWICH VILLAGE,

WHERE FREER SOCIAL NORMS
ALLOWED THE BEGINNINGS

OF A HOMOSEXUAL UNDERGROUND.

- THE MAIN THOUGHT
BEHIND THE THING

WAS TO BREAK THE LAW

AND LIVE AS
WILDLY AS YOU COULD.

AND EVERYBODY DID,

BECAUSE THE SPEAKEASIES
WERE ALL OVER THE TOWN.

EVEN THE OLD RESIDENCES,

SOME OF THEM HAD
SPEAKEASY BASEMENTS.

A LOT OF PEOPLE WRITE
ABOUT PROHIBITION,

BUT THEY DON'T BRING OUT
THE FACT THAT EVERYBODY

WAS BREAKING THE LAW BECAUSE
IT WAS THE THING TO DO.

- RENT PARTIES WERE GIVEN.

YOU WOULD PAY MAYBE
50 CENTS OR A DOLLAR.

THAT ENTITLED YOU
TO SALTINE CRACKERS

WITH A PIECE OF SALAMI,

AND THEN THEY
WOULD HAVE BATHTUB GIN,

WHICH MEANT THAT IN THEIR
BATHTUBS THEY PUT A GALLON

OF ALCOHOL, AND IT WAS
FRAPPEED WITH A LOT OF ICE

TO PARALYZE YOUR
SENSE OF TASTE,

AND IT WAS COLORED WITH
GRENADINE TO MAKE IT PINK.

THESE WERE GAY PARTIES
THAT WE WENT TO.

OFTEN AFTER THE PARTIES
WE WOULD GO HOME WITH PEOPLE

WE CHANCED TO MEET THERE.

- NEW YORK IS A KIND OF
A PLACE THAT EVERYBODY COMES TO.

HARLEM WAS A MECCA
FOR BLACK PEOPLE.

AND SO BLACKS CAME,

AND SINCE BLACKS COME
FROM EVERYWHERE

JUST LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE
COMES FROM EVERYWHERE,

THE ONLY DIFFERENCE
WAS THAT BLACKS

HAD A SPECIFIC
PLACE TO GO TO,

AND THAT WAS HARLEM.

- AND WE HAD LOTS OF CLUBS,
LOTS OF BARS.

BUT MY FAVORITE ONE
WAS THE GARDEN OF JOY

UP ON THE HILL,

UP THERE ON
I THINK 32ND STREET.

IT'S WHERE THE CHURCH IS NOW--

CLAYTON POWELL'S CHURCH.

- ABYSSINIAN?

- ABYSSINIAN, YEAH.
THAT WAS THE HILL.

AND YOU HAD A BEAUTIFUL
TIME UP THERE.

OH, GIRL, YOU HAD
SOME TIME UP THERE.

- YOU SEE, THOSE PLACES WERE
NOT GAY, BUT THEY WERE OPEN.

THE WHOLE
ATMOSPHERE WAS OPEN.

- IT WAS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE
NOT TO KNOW EVERYBODY

THAT HAPPENED TO PASS THROUGH
HARLEM AT THAT TIME.

BLACK, WHITE,
GRIZZLED, OR GREY,

IT DOESN'T MAKE
ANY DIFFERENCE.

- HARLEM'S MORE EXCLUSIVE CLUBS

FEATURING BLACK PERFORMERS
CATERED TO WHITE TOURISTS.

HOWEVER, THE MORE
ADVENTUROUS WHITES,

AMONG THEM, MANY HOMOSEXUALS,

WERE WELCOME IN BLACK CLUBS IN
THE FREEWHEELING BUFFET FLATS.

- I THINK ONE OF THE GREAT
ATTRACTIONS IN HARLEM

WAS TO GO TO GLADYS BENTLEY'S
LITTLE HIDEAWAY

DOWN IN A BASEMENT
WHERE SHE PLAYED A PIANO.

GLADYS BENTLEY
WAS A VERY OVERT LESBIAN.

- I DON'T THINK I'D EVER SEEN
GLADYS IN A SKIRT IN MY LIFE.

SHE ALWAYS WORE
PANTS AND TUXEDOS.

DURING HER STINT
AT THE CLAMHOUSE,

SHE WENT OFF TO ATLANTIC
CITY AND MARRIED HER GIRLFRIEND.

- *WENT OUT LAST NIGHT
WITH A CROWD OF MY FRIENDS *

* THEY MUST'VE BEEN WOMEN *

* 'CAUSE I DON'T LIKE NO MEN *

*IT'S TRUE I WEAR
A COLLAR AND A TIE *

* MAKES THE WIND BLOW
ALL THE WHILE *

* DON'T YOU SAY I DO IT *

* AIN'T NOBODY CAUGHT ME *

* SURE GOT TO PROVE IT ON ME

- WELL I MET QUITE
A FEW SINGERS,

MOSTLY ALL OF 'EM,

LIKE ETHEL WATERS
AND SMITH AND HUNTER.

- DO YOU KNOW IF ANY OF
THEM WERE IN THE LIFE?

- THEY WERE ALL IN THERE.

I WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN
MEETING THEM

IF THEY HADN'T HAVE
BEEN IN THERE,

BECAUSE I WOULDN'T HAVE
BOTHERED NOBODY THAT WAS.

I WOULDN'T--I DO MORE BOTHERING
WITH STRAIGHT PEOPLE NOW

THAN I EVER DID IN MY LIFE.

I NEVER WENT IN
WITH STRAIGHT PEOPLE,

BECAUSE WHEN YOU DO,
YOU GET YOURSELF IN TROUBLE.

- WHERE ARE WE GOING?

- WELL, YOU SAID YOU
WANTED TO GO SLUMMING.

SO I PICKED A PLACE
TO EAT IN THE VILLAGE.

ONLY WILD POETS
AND ANARCHISTS EAT THERE.

PRETTY TOUGH.

both: * AND GO DASHING UP
AND DOWN THE HALL *

*TRA-LA-LA-LA-LA-LA-LA-LA,
TRA-LA-LA-LA-LA-LA-LA-LA *

* TRA-LA-LA-LA-LA-LA-LA-LA

- *IF A FAIRY IN
PAJAMAS I SHOULD SEE *

* I KNOW HE'LL SCARE
THE LIFE OUT OF ME *

- * AND ON A GREAT BIG
BATTLESHIP YOU'D LIKE TO BE *

both: * WORKING
AS CHAMBERMAIDS *

- THAT'S THE ANCIENT CULTURE,

THE OLD GNOSTIC
BOHEMIAN CULTURE,

WHICH EXISTED IN
THE CARNIVAL WORLDS,

IN THE BLACK WORLD,
IN HARLEM IN THE '20s.

ON TIMES SQUARE, CERTAINLY,

IN BERLIN,
IN THE CABARET BERLIN

THAT WE READ ABOUT IN BOOKS
AND SEE IN MOVIES.

THAT OLD CULTURE EXISTS
SINCE PRIMORDIAL DAYS.

- THE BOHEMIAN SUBCULTURE
WAS A PRESSURE-COOKER

ADVANCING
UNCONVENTIONAL IDEAS.

HERE HOMOSEXUALS,
CAST OUT OF GENTEEL SOCIETY,

FOUND A COMFORTABLE
WORLD IN WHICH TO CREATE.

MANY OF AMERICA'S
IMPORTANT THINKERS EMERGED

FROM THIS HOMOSEXUAL
UNDERGROUND,

INCLUDING ROMAINE BROOKS
AND NATALIE BARNEY,

LANGSTON HUGHES,
MARGARET ANDERSON,

TENNESSEE WILLIAMS,
AND GERTRUDE STEIN.

- IN THE UNITED STATES
BETWEEN 1875 AND 1940,

THERE WERE MORE THAN 500 NOVELS
WITH LESBIAN CONTENT PUBLISHED.

AND OF COURSE WITH
GAY MALE LITERATURE,

THERE'S FIVE TIMES AS MUCH
DURING THE SAME PERIOD OF TIME--

LITERALLY THOUSANDS OF BOOKS.

- OH, I HAD THEM ALL.

AND EVEN TILL THIS DAY,
ALL THE BOOKS ARE MINE.

- WHY DON'T YOU TELL ME ABOUT
YOUR LESBIAN NOVELS

THAT YOU LIKE?

- OH.

WELL, FIRST I'LL START--
YOU KNOW HOW IT STARTED.

"THE WELL OF LONELINESS."

FROM THAT ON, EVERYTHING
THAT CAME PAST, I READ IT.

- THE '20s SAW A WAVE OF
LESBIAN-THEMED BOOKS AND PLAYS,

LIKE THE BESTSELLING
"THE WELL OF LONELINESS"

AND THE HIT BROADWAY PLAY
"THE CAPTIVE."

BOTH WERE DECLARED OBSCENE,

AND THE ENSUING
CENSORSHIP STRUGGLES

MADE HOMOSEXUALITY A MAJOR TOPIC
OF PUBLIC DISCOURSE.

RADCLYFFE HALL'S APPEAL
OVERTURNED THE DECISION

FOR PUBLISHERS,
BUT NEW YORK STATE OUTLAWED

OVERT REFERENCES TO
HOMOSEXUALITY ON THE STAGE.

CONTROVERSIAL PLAYS
LIKE LILLIAN HELLMAN'S

"THE CHILDREN'S HOUR"
WERE TOLERATED

AS LONG AS THE WORD "LESBIAN"
WAS NOT MENTIONED.

IN HOLLYWOOD, A FILM VERSION
OF OSCAR WILDE'S "SALOME"

WAS PRODUCED WITH
A PURPORTEDLY ALL-GAY CAST.

- OH, ARE THOSE FAIRIES
AT THE BOTTOM OF OUR GARDEN?

YOU CANNOT THINK HOW
BEAUTIFUL THEY ARE.

THEY ALL STAND UP AND SING

AND THE FAIRY KING
AND QUEEN

COME LIGHTLY FLOATING DOWN
UPON THEIR...

- BUT THE CENSORSHIP FORCES
EVENTUALLY PREVAILED,

AND BY 1935,

THE MOTION PICTURE CODE BANNED
ALL REFERENCES TO HOMOSEXUALITY.

THE HARD TIMES OF THE 1930s LED
TO POLITICAL AND SOCIAL UNREST.

RIOTS BROKE OUT IN HARLEM.

UNIONS FOUGHT PITCHED
BATTLES FOR RECOGNITION.

FAMILIES DISINTEGRATED
AS MEN ABANDONED THEIR WIVES

AND CHILDREN IN
UNPRECEDENTED NUMBERS.

AND BOTH THE RADICAL LEFT
AND RIGHT SWELLED THEIR RANKS.

- THESE WERE TIMES
OF THE GREAT DEPRESSION,

AND THERE WAS MUCH
DISCRIMINATION,

MUCH SOCIAL DISCONTENT.

IN 1929,
WHEN I ARRIVED IN NEW YORK,

I WAS INVITED
TO A SMALL DINNER PARTY

WHERE DR. HIRSCHFELD,
A SEXOLOGIST,

WAS THE SPEAKER
THAT EVENING.

AND AFTER DINNER
HE ADDRESSED THE GROUP,

TELLING OF CHANGES THAT WERE
BEING BROUGHT ABOUT IN GERMANY.

HE MADE QUITE AN IMPACT.

HE HAD WORKED SO THAT MEN
COULD DRESS AS WOMEN

IF THEY WISHED, IF THEY WERE
PROPERLY IDENTIFIED.

REGRETTABLY,
LATER THAT BOOMERANGED.

ALL THESE REGISTERED MEN

WERE PUT IN CONCENTRATION CAMPS
WITH JEWS.

- THE RISE OF THE NAZIS
OBLITERATED THE EARLY

HOMOSEXUAL AND FEMINIST
MOVEMENTS IN GERMANY,

AND PROPELLED THE UNITED STATES
INTO A WAR THAT WOULD

DRAMATICALLY ALTER THE LIVES
OF AMERICAN HOMOSEXUALS.

- WELL, IT WAS A WAR ON, AND WE
WERE ALL VERY, VERY PATRIOTIC.

- WHEN DECEMBER 7TH CAME,

EVERYBODY WAS EXPECTED
TO DO SOMETHING.

SINCE THERE WAS NO ONE ELSE,

I FELT THAT IT WAS MY DUTY
TO JOIN THE SERVICE.

AS SOON AS THEY BEGAN
TAKING WOMEN INTO THE ARMY,

I JOINED IT.

- I CAN'T SAY THAT
I WAS SUCH A PATRIOT

THAT I WAS GLAD TO JOIN.

I DID NOT WANT TO GET
IN THERE AND GET SHOT AT.

ON THE OTHER HAND,
CERTAINLY WORLD WAR II

WAS SOMETHING THAT REALLY
THE COUNTRY WAS BEHIND.

SO YOU HAD, AT LEAST,
EVERYBODY BEHIND YOU.

- THEY COME FROM
EVERY WALK OF LIFE.

BY THE 100,000,
THEY ARE ASSEMBLING AT CAMPS

AND NAVAL TRAINING STATIONS.

TO THESE YOUNG MEN COMES
A RADICAL CHANGE

IN THEIR WAY OF LIFE,
AS HOME TIES ARE BROKEN

AND FAMILIES, FRIENDS,
AND SWEETHEARTS ARE LEFT BEHIND.

QUICKLY THEY ADAPT
THEMSELVES TO ARMY AND NAVY

ROUTINE, PHYSICAL CONDITIONING,
DISCIPLINE,

MILITARY TRAINING, WITH
WHOLESOME LEISURE TIME ACTIVITY

BUILD THE HIGH MORALE
WHICH IS ESSENTIAL

TO STRONG FIGHTING MEN.

- MY FIRST ASSIGNMENT
IN THE ARMY

WAS IN THE INDUCTION STATION
IN FORT SNELLING,

WHICH BECAME INSTANTLY CALLED
"THE SEDUCTION STATION."

AND I FOUND THAT ALL OF
THE PEOPLE I HAD KNOWN

IN THE GAY BARS
IN MINNEAPOLIS AND ST. PAUL

WERE ALL OFFICERS WHO WERE
RUNNING THIS SEDUCTION STATION.

AND WHEN RECRUITS WOULD BE
LINED UP BY THE THOUSANDS,

AS THEY WOULD BE EACH
MORNING OUTSIDE OUR WINDOWS,

ALL OF US WOULD RUSH
TO THE WINDOWS

AND LOOK OUT
AND EXPRESS GREAT SORROW

THAT ALL OF THESE BEAUTIFUL BOYS
WERE GOING TO BE KILLED

OR MAIMED OR SOMETHING
IN THE WAR.

- WELL, ONE OF THE WORST
OF THE STEREOTYPES,

THAT'S REALLY A LIE,

IS THAT ALL
HOMOSEXUALS ARE EFFEMINATE.

"YOU'RE NOT REALLY A MAN.
YOU'RE MORE LIKE A GIRL."

AND SO A LOT OF US
AT THAT TIME WHO WERE GAY

HAD TO PROVE OUR MANHOOD.

SO I JOINED THE TOUGHEST,

MOST MASCULINE MILITARY
ORGANIZATION IN THE COUNTRY,

AND THAT WAS THE MARINE CORPS.

"THE MARINE CORPS
BUILDS MEN."

- I WAS VERY, VERY MUCH
AWARE THAT I WAS UN-ATHLETIC.

AS I SAY, I CANNOT
THROW A BALL.

I CANNOT CATCH ONE.

BASKETBALL
WAS MY COMPLETE UNDOING,

BECAUSE I WOULD KICK IT
WHEN I DRIBBLED.

AND IN SUCH THINGS AS, LIKE,
TRYING TO THROW GRENADES,

IT BECAME MORE THAN OBVIOUS.

I REMEMBER ONCE IN GRENADE
PRACTICE, IT FELL ON MY TOE,

WHICH WAS RATHER
EMBARRASSING.

SO I KIND OF REACTED TO THAT

BY BEING THE COMPANY MASCOT
OR SOMETHING.

THE ONLY THING I COULD
DO WAS LAUGH ABOUT IT,

WHICH I DID, AND I WAS
REASONABLY WELL-LIKED.

- I FOUND THAT THERE WAS
A TOLERANCE FOR LESBIANISM

IF THEY NEEDED YOU.

IF YOU HAD A JOB TO DO THAT WAS
A SPECIALIST KIND OF A JOB,

OR IF YOU WERE IN A THEATER
OF OPERATIONS

WHERE YOU WERE--
WHERE BODIES WERE NEEDED,

THEN THEY TOLERATED ANYTHING,
JUST ABOUT.

THE BATTALION THAT I WAS IN
WAS PROBABLY ABOUT 97% LESBIAN.

WE WERE ALL OVER THE PLACE.

AND ONE DAY I GOT CALLED

INTO MY COMMANDING
GENERAL'S OFFICE,

AND IT HAPPENED TO BE
EISENHOWER AT THE TIME.

AND HE SAID,

"IT'S COME TO MY ATTENTION
THAT THERE MAY BE

"SOME LESBIANS IN
THE W.A.C. BATTALION.

"I'M GIVING YOU AN ORDER
TO FERRET THOSE LESBIANS OUT,

AND WE'RE GONNA
GET RID OF 'EM."

AND I LOOKED AT HIM, AND THEN
I LOOKED AT HIS SECRETARY

WHO WAS STANDING NEXT TO ME,
AND I SAID,

"WELL, SIR,
IF THE GENERAL PLEASES,

"SIR,

"I'LL BE HAPPY TO DO THIS
INVESTIGATION FOR YOU.

BUT YOU HAVE TO KNOW THAT
THE FIRST NAME ON THE LIST

WILL BE MINE."

AND HE KIND OF WAS
TAKEN ABACK A BIT.

AND THEN THIS WOMAN STANDING
NEXT TO ME SAID,

"SIR, IF THE GENERAL PLEASES,

"YOU MUST BE AWARE THAT SERGEANT
PHELPS'S NAME MAY BE SECOND,

BUT MINE WILL BE FIRST."

AND THEN I LOOKED
AT HIM, AND I SAID,

"SIR, YOU'RE RIGHT.

"THERE ARE LESBIANS
IN THE W.A.C. BATTALION.

"AND IF THE GENERAL IS PREPARED

"TO REPLACE
ALL THE FILE CLERKS,

"ALL THE SECTION COMMANDERS,

"ALL OF THE DRIVERS,

EVERY WOMAN IN THE WAC
DETACHMENT"--

THERE WERE ABOUT
980-SOMETHING OF US--

"THEN I'LL BE HAPPY
TO MAKE THAT LIST.

"BUT I THINK THE GENERAL
SHOULD BE AWARE

"THAT AMONG THOSE WOMEN

"ARE THE MOST HIGHLY DECORATED
WOMEN IN THE WAR.

"THERE HAVE BEEN NO CASES
OF ILLEGAL PREGNANCIES.

"THERE HAVE BEEN
NO CASES OF AWOL.

"THERE HAVE BEEN NO
CASES OF MISCONDUCT.

"AND AS A MATTER OF FACT,

"EVERY SIX MONTHS
SINCE WE'VE BEEN HERE, SIR,

"THE GENERAL HAS AWARDED US
A COMMENDATION

FOR MERITORIOUS SERVICE."

AND HE SAID,
"FORGET THE ORDER."

IT WAS A GOOD
BATTALION TO BE IN.

- AT THAT TIME, MEN WERE NOT
ALLOWED TO SHOW AFFECTION

TO EACH OTHER, AT LEAST NOT
TO THE POINT OF TOUCHING,

EXCEPT MAYBE, YOU KNOW,
THE HAND ON THE SHOULDER

OR THE KIND OF
BOISTEROUS EXCESSES

THAT MEN GO INTO WHEN THEY'RE
GETTING A LITTLE INTOXICATED.

- I CERTAINLY FELT
SOMETHING VERY STRONG.

THERE WAS A CERTAIN
AMOUNT OF AFFECTION.

BUT IT WAS A VERY BUTCH
KIND OF AFFECTION.

THERE'S NO WAY IN THE WORLD
THAT THEY WOULD'VE DEFINED

THIS AS BEING GAY ACTIVITY,
AND I COULDN'T EITHER.

- OF COURSE, WHEN YOU'RE
ACTUALLY IN COMBAT,

THE WHOLE FOCUS IS ON LIVING,

AND THE RAW NERVE EDGE
OF EVERYTHING.

MOST OF YOUR LIFE
IS REFLEX ACTION.

BUT MORE INTENSE EXPRESSION OF
FEELINGS ARE PERMITTED THEN.

- AND I'D GONE OUT WITH
TWO RATHER CLOSE FRIENDS.

WE WERE MAYBE THREE MILES
FROM THE FRONT LINES,

AND IT WAS A LITTLE
TOWN IN GERMANY.

WE'D HAD A LOT
OF CASUALTIES.

AND I WENT OUT.
WE GOT VERY DRUNK.

AND COMING BACK,

MERTZ AND I STARTED KIND OF
PLAYING WITH EACH OTHER.

I REMEMBER IT
WAS ON A BRIDGE.

AND WE ACTUALLY KIND
OF HAD SEX, I MEAN,

WITH SMITTY
THE THIRD PERSON OVER THERE,

"OH, COME ON, GUYS,
YOU'RE DRUNK."

YOU KNOW, "STOP IT."
ALL OF THOSE THINGS.

BUT THE TRAUMATIC
THING ABOUT IT

IS THAT BOTH OF THOSE GUYS
WERE DEAD IN THREE DAYS.

SMITTY HAD BEEN HIT
WITH A SNIPER IN A FOXHOLE

RIGHT NEXT TO MINE,

AND MERTZ HAD GOTTEN SOME
ARTILLERY RIGHT IN HIS STOMACH.

AND ALL OF THIS
WITHIN A WEEK

OF HAVING HAD THIS EXPERIENCE.

- WHILE THE WAR RAGED ON,

RADICAL SOCIAL CHANGES
WERE SEEN ON THE HOME FRONT.

AS THE WORKFORCE
SWELLED WITH WOMEN,

LESBIANS GAINED
ECONOMIC INDEPENDENCE.

HUNDREDS OF HOMOSEXUAL BARS
SPRUNG UP

AS GAY MILITARY PERSONNEL
FLOODED THE PORT CITIES.

- DAYTON WOMEN ARE
MARCHING TO WAR.

YES, IN EVERY ESSENTIAL
WARTIME ACTIVITY,

IN THE FACTORIES,
OUT AT THE AIRFIELDS,

DAYTON WOMEN ARE HELPING TO KEEP
THE WHEELS OF INDUSTRY TURNING.

- IT WAS WORLD WAR 2,

AND EVERYONE THAT DIDN'T
HAVE A PERFORATED EARDRUM

OR FLAT FEET WAS OFF
DEFENDING OUR COUNTRY

SOMEPLACE OR ANOTHER.

SO THERE WERE AN AWFUL
LOT OF UNMARRIED WOMEN,

ENGAGED WOMEN, SINGLE WOMEN,
ALL KINDS OF WOMEN,

AND REMEMBER A LOT OF THEM
HAD MOVED TO THE CITIES

BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE
ALL THESE JOBS WERE

THAT NEEDED TO BE FILLED.

- WELL, ALL THE WOMEN WERE HIRED
IN THE DEFENSE INDUSTRIES,

AND THEY HAD TO WEAR SLACKS
AND HAVE SHORT HAIR.

YOU KNOW, SKIRTS, THEY WERE
DANGEROUS AROUND MACHINERY.

SO IT BECAME COMMON THAT
GOING TO AND FROM WORK,

THEY WERE WEARING
SLACKS ON THE STREET.

- BUT NATURALLY,
THEY BEGAN TO EARN MONEY,

AND NATURALLY, THEY ACHIEVED
SOME DEGREE OF INDEPENDENCE.

THEY LEFT THE
HOUSE OR THE HOME.

AND FOR YOUNG WOMEN,

YOU COULD LEAVE HOME WITHOUT
BEING PREGNANT.

YOU KNOW, IT WAS THE FIRST
TIME THAT ANYBODY COULD

REALLY SUCCESSFULLY DO THAT.

- THE SHEER MATTER
OF WHERE TO LIVE

PRESENTS A FORMIDABLE
PROBLEM IN DAYTON.

ROOMS, BEDS, WALL SPACE,
ALL JAM-PACKED, OVERFLOWING.

- WE WAS ALL BUNCHED UP
TOGETHER ALL THE TIME.

MOST OF THE WOMEN THAT
I MET HAD HUSBANDS,

BUT THEY WOULD GO WITH
WOMEN, JUST THE SAME.

THEY'D JUST COME
OUT A LITTLE MORE.

THEY DID THE SAME THING
WHEN THE MEN WAS HOME,

BUT THEY WOULDN'T
LET NOBODY KNOW IT.

THAT'S WHY I KNOW ONE-HALF
OF THE WORLD IS QUEER, GAY.

ONE-HALF OF IT.

AND THOSE THAT'S FIGHTIN'
US WHO WILL ADMIT THE TRUTH,

THEY'RE DOING
THE SAME THING.

- CERTAINLY,
IT BROUGHT A LOT MORE PEOPLE

FROM THE HINTERLANDS
OUT INTO CONDITIONS

WHERE THEY WEREN'T LIVING
IN SMALL TOWNS,

WHERE THEY WERE FREER,
WHERE THEY MET OTHER PEOPLE,

WHERE THEY GOT IN--MALE
AND FEMALE-GOT INTO SAME-SEX

CLOSE RELATIONSHIPS
AND DEVELOPED FRIENDSHIPS.

ON THE NIGHTS OUT, GROUPS
OF SOLDIERS MAY GO LOOKING

FOR WOMEN AND END UP
FINDING ONE ANOTHER.

- * I MISS YOUR VOICE

* AND THE TOUCH OF YOUR HAND

* MY BUDDY

* MY BUDDY

* YOUR BUDDY MISSES YOU

- * I GOT A GAL IN KALAMAZOO

*DON'T WANT TO BOAST,
BUT I KNOW SHE'S THE TOAST *

*OF KALAMAZOO-ZOO-ZOO-ZOO-ZOO *

* YEARS HAVE GONE BY

*MY, MY, HOW SHE GREW *

* I LIKED HER LOOKS
WHEN I CARRIED HER BOOKS *

*IN KALAMAZOO-ZOO-ZOO-ZOO *

* KALAMAZOO*

- WE MET A LOT OF PEOPLE.

WE BECAME AWARE
OF OUR OWN KIND.

OUR OWN SOCIETY
CONGREGATED THERE.

AND I THINK THAT
HAD A LOT TO DO

WITH THE INCREASE IN POPULATION

FOR THE GAY COMMUNITY
IN THOSE METROPOLITAN AREAS.

- CERTAINLY, WHEN I CAME OUT
IN SAN FRANCISCO INTO THE BARS,

THERE WERE 20 OR 30 ACTIVE BARS
THAT I FOUND AT ANY TIME,

ALTHOUGH MOST
OF THEM WERE SHORT-LIVED.

VERY FEW OF THEM WERE
GAY-OWNED OR GAY-RUN,

BUT AS LONG AS THEY LASTED,
THEY WERE PACKED.

- THE FIRST CLUB I WENT
TO WAS THE LAKESHORE CLUB,

WHICH WAS PRIMARILY
A LESBIAN CLUB.

IT WAS A PLACE,
OF COURSE, TO MEET,

AND IT WAS THE FIRST
YEAR I CAME OUT.

AND SO I WAS THERE A LOT.

AND THERE WAS
A MAN ON THE DOOR,

AND YOU DIDN'T GET IN UNLESS
YOU LOOKED GAY OR THEY KNEW YOU

OR YOU WERE BROUGHT
BY SOMEBODY WHO WAS GAY.

- THERE WERE THE GAY GIRLS'
CLUBS AND THE GAY BOYS' CLUB,

BUT YOU WERE NEVER KEPT OUT
BECAUSE YOU WERE EITHER SEX.

- I GUESS I WENT TO SEE
CARROLL AT EVERY PLACE

THAT HE APPEARED.

- WROTE MOST OF MY MATERIAL.

THERE'S NOT ANYBODY IN THIS
WORLD COULD GET ME TO SAY

ONE WORD ABOUT HER.

SHE'S WHAT SHE IS, AND OF
COURSE SHE'LL NEVER MEND.

SHE'S AN INTRO,
ULTRA, EXTROVERT.

BUT SO WHAT?

SHE'S MY MOST
INTIMATE FRIEND.

I KNOW SHE'S DISEASED.

I KNOW SHE'S INSANE.

I KNOW SHE CAN ONLY BE APPEASED
WITH A LASH AND CHAMPAGNE.

I KNOW THAT MR. WELLESLEY
FIRED HER FOR ACTIONS

WITH THE GIRLS,
AND I KNOW IT INSPIRED HER

TO POISON HER MOTHER--
SHE WANTED THE PEARLS.

I KNOW ALL ABOUT THE STALLION
THAT SHE LEFT TOO WEAK TO WALK,

AND I KNOW ABOUT MISS
LEGALLION--

THOUGH THAT WAS ONLY TALK.

IN FACT, I KNOW A LOT
OF THINGS THAT I COULD TELL

IF I WOULD, BUT A GOSSIP,
I NEVER WILL.

AND WILD HORSES COULDN'T
DRAG ONE WORD FROM MY MOUTH.

AFTER ALL, SHE'S MY
MOST INTIMATE FRIEND.

- CARROLL DAVIS WAS A VERY
IMPORTANT ENTERTAINER.

BUT YOU KNOW, ENTERTAINERS
ARE ALWAYS A LITTLE BIT

LIKE GOD, YOU KNOW.

THEY STAND OFF.

A DIFFERENT LIGHT
SHINES ON THEM.

- * YOU MUST BE LADIES

all: * DON'T WORRY,
MISS COWELL *

* MERRILY WE APPEAR
ON THE SCENE *

* HOSTESSES OF THE STAGE
DOOR CANTEEN *

*ENTERTAINING SOLDIERS
WHO ARE GOING OFF TO WAR *

*GLAD TO BE OF SERVICE *

*BUT WE COULD DO MUCH MORE *

*WE COULD DO MORE
FOR THE BOYS *

* AND GREATLY ADD
TO THEIR JOYS *

* BUT WE DON'T GET VERY FAR *

*WE TAKE AN OATH WHEN WE ENLIST
TO NEVER BE FOUND *

*CANOODLING
AROUND WITH A SOLDIER *

- AND OF COURSE THERE WERE
ALL THE FAMOUS DRAG QUEENS.

RATHER THAN PUT THEM
IN THE REGULAR ARMY,

OUT THERE IN
THE TRENCHES OR WHATEVER,

THEY PUT THEM IN
THIS DRAG SHOW.

AND THEY TRAVELED ALL
OVER THE UNITED STATES,

AND THEN THEY MADE A MOVIE.

AND IT WAS ALL A BIG HIT.

- MISS COWELL,
MISS COWELL!

OH, MISS COWELL.
OH, MISS COWELL.

- IN THAT SENSE, THEY
WERE OUT OF THE CLOSET,

BUT OF COURSE,
NOBODY IN THE ARMY OR ANYTHING

WOULD EVER HINT THAT
THESE MEN WERE GAY MEN.

OF COURSE NOT.

THEY WERE JUST IN A SHOW,
JUST ENTERTAINERS.

- A-BOODLE-EE-BE-BOP,
A-BOODLE-EE-BE-BOP

- THE EFFECT OF WORLD WAR II
WAS REALLY, TRULY PROFOUND.

OUR COUNTRY WILL NEVER AGAIN
BE WHAT IT WAS BEFORE THAT WAR,

BECAUSE GAY PEOPLE
BEGAN TO RECOGNIZE

THAT THERE WERE OTHERS
LIKE THEMSELVES

FROM OTHER PARTS
OF THE COUNTRY.

EVEN THOUGH WE WERE
TOTALLY CLOSETED THEN,

AT LEAST THERE WAS A CERTAIN
PERCEPTION THAT WE WEREN'T,

AT LEAST,
GEOGRAPHICALLY ISOLATED.

- WASHINGTON IS JUBILANT.

AND IN CHICAGO,

MORE THAN A MILLION
SING AND DANCE IN THE STREETS

IN THE BIGGEST CELEBRATION
THE WINDY CITY HAS EVER SEEN.

JOY IS UNCONFINED.

- AT THE END OF THE WAR, MANY
OF THE LESBIANS AND GAY MEN

WHO SERVED THEIR COUNTRY
SETTLED IN THE PORT CITIES.

THERE THEY COULD BE
ANONYMOUS AND DISTANCE

THEMSELVES FROM THEIR
CRITICAL FAMILIES.

BUT MOST IMPORTANT WAS
THE COMPANIONSHIP THEY SOUGHT

WITHIN AMERICA'S GROWING
URBAN GAY POPULATION.

- AND WHAT DOES HE WANT?

MOST OF ALL, HE WANTS A JOB,

A STAKE IN THE AMERICAN FUTURE.

- MALE VETERANS RECLAIMED
THEIR JOBS AND RECEIVED

ECONOMIC AND EDUCATIONAL
BENEFITS UNDER THE G.I. BILL.

BUT WOMEN WERE FORCED BACK
INTO TRADITIONAL ROLES,

LOSING THE ECONOMIC GAINS
MADE DURING THE WAR.

LIBERAL IDEAS IN THE ARTS
AND SCIENCES BEGAN TO EMERGE

AGAINST THIS BACKDROP OF
GROWING SOCIAL CONSERVATISM.

- THERE WAS A PERIOD OF ABOUT
TWO YEARS FOLLOWING THE WAR,

THE FIRST COUPLE OF YEARS
THAT I WAS IN COLLEGE,

WHERE THERE WAS A BIG
UPSURGE OF LIBERALISM.

NOW, I CAN'T
NECESSARILY TIE THIS,

YOU KNOW, WITH THE GAY SCENE.

BUT THERE WERE, OH,
THE KIND OF BEGINNINGS

OF CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENTS.

NOISES WERE BEING MADE.

- IN THE '40s,
THE BOMB DROPPED.

IN THE '40s, THE ENTIRE PLANET
WAS THREATENED BIOLOGICALLY.

IN THE '40s,
THERE WAS A RECOVERY

FROM THE TOTAL BREAKDOWN
OF ALL MORALITY

IN THE CONCENTRATION CAMPS.

FOR THOSE OF US WHO
WERE HOMOSEXUAL,

IT WAS SUDDENLY
THE REALIZATION,

"WHY ARE WE BEING
INTIMIDATED BY A BUNCH OF JERKS

"WHO DON'T KNOW
ANYTHING ABOUT LIFE?

"WHO ARE THEY TO TELL US
WHAT WE FEEL

"AND HOW WE'RE SUPPOSED
TO BEHAVE?

"AND WHY TAKE ALL
THAT BULLSHIT?

AND WHY NOT JUST SORT OF DISH IT
BACK AND START TALKING OPENLY?"

- LATE AT NIGHT,

AT THEATERS THAT WERE
OFF THE BEATEN TRACK,

MOST OF THE TIME THE THEATER
MARQUEES WERE TURNED OFF

AND IT WAS VERY
DARK OUT FRONT,

AND THEY'D SHOW THESE FAIRLY
SCRATCHY BLACK-AND-WHITE FILMS

ON THE SCREEN THAT TURNED
OUT TO BE KENNETH ANGER FILMS,

THAT DID HAVE GAY OVERTONES,
SOMETIMES MORE THAN OVERTONES.

AND I GUESS THEY WERE
THE FORERUNNERS

OF WHAT GAY FILMS
TURNED OUT TO BE.

- THE OLD BOHEMIAN
WIDE-OPEN MIND TRADITION

BURST OUT THROUGH ITS BOUNDS
AND WENT OUT INTO MASS CULTURE

SOMETIME IN THE LATE
'40s AND EARLY '50s.

LIBERATION OF THE WORD
INCLUDED A NUMBER OF BOOKS

THAT MAY NOT BE REMEMBERED
NOW THAT WERE INSTRUMENTAL

IN OPENING UP
AMERICAN SENSIBILITY.

- AMONG THOSE BOOKS

WERE GORE VIDAL'S
"CITY AND THE PILLAR"

AND DONALD CORY'S
"THE HOMOSEXUAL IN AMERICA."

- FIRST OF ALL,
IT WAS A CULTURAL SCENE,

KEROUAC AND BURROUGHS
AND HERBERT HUNCKE,

WHO WAS A FRIEND OF BURROUGHS,
NOW A WRITER,

THEN A HUSTLING JUNKIE
ON TIMES SQUARE

WHO WAS WORKING WITH DR. KINSEY
AS KINSEY'S INFORMANT

FOR THE FLOATING POPULATION
OF TIMES SQUARE.

SO THAT BURROUGHS
AND KEROUAC AND MYSELF

AND HUNCKE AND MANY FRIENDS
ARE INTEGRATED

INTO THE FIRST STATISTICS
OF THE KINSEY REPORT.

- HOMOSEXUALITY
WAS THOUGHT TO BE

A COMPARATIVELY RARE PHENOMENON

UNTIL KINSEY CAME ALONG

AND PROVIDED VERY GOOD EVIDENCE

THAT ACTUALLY THERE WERE,
OF COURSE,

ROUGHLY 20 MILLION
GAY MEN AND WOMEN.

AND THAT WAS IMPORTANT.

AND IT WAS IMPORTANT
BECAUSE IT GAVE GREAT HOPE

TO GAY PEOPLE AND LESBIANS,

BECAUSE THEY,
FOR THE FIRST TIME,

REALIZED THAT THEY WERE
NOT A TINY MINORITY,

BUT ACTUALLY A VERY SIZABLE
PROPORTION OF THE POPULATION.

- THE FEELING
THAT WAS CREATED WAS,

YOU COULD WALK DOWN THE STREET
AND, OH, MY HEAVENS,

ONE OUT OF TEN OR ONE OUT OF
20 OR WHATEVER IT MIGHT BE,

MIGHT BE HAVING
THOSE FEELINGS.

MIGHT BE HAVING
THOSE EXPERIENCES.

IT REALLY SHOOK PEOPLE UP
AND MADE THEM--

IT MADE IT IMPOSSIBLE FOR THEM
TO THINK ABOUT HOMOSEXUALITY

IN THE OLD WAYS, THAT IT WAS
SOMETHING WAY OVER THERE.

- BUT THEN THERE WAS SUCH
A TURNAROUND IN THE COUNTRY,

YOU KNOW, COME SHORTLY
AFTER THE '48 ELECTIONS.

AND THEN IN CAME
SENATOR MCCARTHY,

AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THE COUNTRY
SLIPPED INTO THE DARK AGES.

- YOU CAN RUN
AWAY IF YOU LIKE.

YOU HAVE BEEN HERE
TRYING TO SMEAR THE STAFF

OF THIS COMMITTEE.

THE YOUNG MEN
WHO HAVE BEEN WORKING

TO UNCOVER COMMUNISTS
FOR TOO LONG--

- SENATOR, APPARENTLY EVERY
TIME ANYBODY SAYS ANYTHING

AGAINST ANYBODY WORKING
FOR SENATOR MCCARTHY,

YOU ARE DECLARING THEM AND YOU
ARE ACCUSING THEM OF COMMUNISM.

- JUST ANSWER THE QUESTION.

- PEOPLE WERE LOOKING FOR
ENEMIES OF ALL SORTS EVERYWHERE,

NOT JUST COMMUNISTS,
BUT QUEERS,

ANYTHING,
ANYBODY WHO'S DEVIANT,

PEOPLE WHO WERE DISSIDENTS
OF ANY KIND, SEXUALLY,

SOCIALLY, POLITICALLY,
WHAT HAVE YOU.

AND THEY WERE LOOKING
FOR PEOPLE LIKE THIS

UNDER EVERY BED AND AROUND EVERY
CORNER AND BEHIND EVERY DOOR.

IT WAS A WHOLE
DIFFERENT SPIRIT.

- RIGHT AFTER THE BIG BUSINESS
ABOUT THE HOLLYWOOD TEN,

WE BEGAN TO HEAR IN '48 AND '49
THAT THEY WERE BEGINNING

TO KICK GUYS OUT OF THE STATE
DEPARTMENT FOR BEING GAY,

AND THAT THEY WERE KICKING GUYS
OUT OF THE ARMY.

THEY WERE KICKING
THEM OUT OF THE NAVY.

THEY WERE MAKING CONNECTIONS
BETWEEN COMMUNISTS

AND GAY PEOPLE.

AND MAKING THE SUGGESTION
THAT THE SOVIET UNION

WAS USING GAY PEOPLE AS SPIES
BECAUSE THEY WERE AFRAID

OF BLACKMAIL AND SO
THEY WERE A DANGER

IN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
AND IN THE STATE DEPARTMENT.

- WELL, I CAME TO
THE DEPARTMENT IN 1951,

AND I WAS INVOLVED THERE
IN CONTINUING INVESTIGATIONS.

THE EASIEST TARGET FOR FOREIGN
INTELLIGENCE SOURCES

AND FOR FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE
AGENCIES, WAS SEX.

- WOMEN AND GIRLS
ARE SENT OUT,

ACCORDING TO CAREFULLY
LAID PLANS, TO BROTHELS,

TO LOW CAFES AND BARS,
AND TO THE STREETS,

WHERE THEY SPREAD VENEREAL
DISEASE AND DISORDER

AMONG THOSE UPON WHOM THE
DEFENSE OF THE NATION DEPENDS.

AGENTS FAR MORE DANGEROUS
THAN THE WOMEN AND GIRLS

THEY EXPLOIT TAKE A LARGE
PART OF THE MONEY COLLECTED

IN THIS SADDEST AND MOST
DEGRADING ENTERPRISE.

- MCCARTHY MADE ONE FEEL
THAT A GAY PERSON

WAS LIKE A MATA HARI.

- DID YOU THINK THIS
CAME FROM A PIXIE?

- QUESTION, DID YOU THINK
THIS CAME FROM A PIXIE?

- THE COUNSEL MIGHT BENEFIT--

DEFINE--I THINK HE MIGHT BE
AN EXPERT ON THAT--

PIXIES.

- YEAH, I SHOULD SAY,
I SHOULD SAY, MR. SENATOR,

THAT A PIXIE IS A CLOSE
RELATIVE OF A FAIRY.

- HEARINGS WERE HELD
WITH RESPECT TO

DEVELOPING AN EXECUTIVE ORDER

SCREENING PERSONNEL
COMING IN TO GOVERNMENTS.

AND THIS EXECUTIVE ORDER
WAS EXECUTIVE ORDER 10450.

"E.O. 10450"

OUTLINED A FACT
THAT A PERSON WHO HAD

A TOP SECRET CLEARANCE COULD
NOT CONTINUE AFTER HAVING

ACKNOWLEDGED INVOLVEMENT
IN HOMOSEXUAL ACTIVITIES.

- YOUR FIRST YEAR
IS A PROBATIONARY YEAR,

AND THERE'S NORMALLY AN
INVESTIGATION DURING THAT YEAR.

AND I WAS CALLED IN,
AND THEY SAID,

"WE HAVE INFORMATION
THAT LEADS US TO BELIEVE

"THAT YOU'RE A HOMOSEXUAL.

DO YOU HAVE ANY COMMENT?"

AND I SAID,
"WHAT'S THE INFORMATION?"

AND THEY SAID,
"WE CAN'T TELL YOU.

THAT WOULD REVEAL
OUR SOURCES."

- THE SOURCES OF OUR
INFORMATION ON THESE PEOPLE

GENERALLY CAME FROM
A CO-PARTICIPANT.

AND WE WERE FORTUNATE
IN THAT WHEN WE INTERVIEWED

SOME OF THESE PEOPLE,
WHICH WE WERE REQUIRED TO DO

BEFORE THEY LEFT
THE DEPARTMENT,

THAT THEY FURNISHED US
WITH A LONG LIST OF NAMES

OF OTHERS WHO WERE
SIMILARLY INVOLVED.

- AND IN THOSE DAYS,
HOMOSEXUALITY AS SUCH

WAS, WITH NO FURTHER
REASON OR RATIONALE,

WAS A BASIS FOR EXCLUSION
FROM THE CIVIL SERVICE.

AND BY THE END OF THE YEAR,

SORT OF AS A CHRISTMAS PRESENT,
I WAS OUT.

- WE OFFERED THEM,
FIRST OF ALL,

AN OPPORTUNITY OF FACING
A BOARD HEARING

WITH THE DEPARTMENT
BEFORE THEY WENT.

WE OFFERED THEM AN
OPPORTUNITY TO RESIGN.

I DON'T THINK WE
HAD TEN HEARINGS,

AND WE SEPARATED
900 TO 1,000 EMPLOYEES

OF THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE.

- SO I PROCEEDED TO APPEAL
ADMINISTRATIVELY

THROUGH THE FORMAL
APPEAL PROCEDURES,

WHICH WENT UP A FEW STEPS.

AND THEN I ALWAYS FOLLOW
AVENUES TILL THEIR END,

SO I APPEALED IT ULTIMATELY
UP INTO THE WHITE HOUSE.

I GOT NOWHERE THERE.

I ATTEMPTED TO APPEAL IT

TO THE HOUSE AND SENATE
CIVIL SERVICE COMMITTEES,

WHICH WERE NOT TERRIBLY
SYMPATHETIC.

- DOWN THROUGH THE YEARS,
WE HAVE HAD MANY, MANY CASES,

BUT ONLY ONE CASE,
TO MY KNOWLEDGE,

WHERE AN INDIVIDUAL,
AFTER HIS INTERVIEWS WITH US,

HE WENT OUT AND
COMMITTED SUICIDE.

- NOW, MR. ADAMS,

SUBVERSIVES, HOMOSEXUALS,

IN THE AIR FORCE
AND IN THE NAVY.

- I WAS IN SERVICE DURING
THE MCCARTHY ERA, '51, '52, '53.

THE O.S.A. STARTED
AN INVESTIGATION OF ME

BECAUSE SOME OF THE WOMEN
I HAD BEEN ASSOCIATING WITH

WERE UNDER INVESTIGATION
FOR HOMOSEXUALITY.

THERE WAS NO TIME OF THE DAY

WHEN THEY WOULDN'T
COME AND GET ME.

IT DIDN'T MAKE ANY
DIFFERENCE WHERE I WAS.

AND WHEN THEY HAD
ME IN THE OFFICE,

THERE WERE ALWAYS
THREE MEN THERE.

ONE OF THEM WOULD
ASK THE QUESTIONS,

ONE WOULD WATCH
MY REACTIONS,

AND THE OTHER ONE
WOULD MAKE NOTES.

AND I'M NOT EASILY
INTIMIDATED,

BUT I WAS TOTALLY
INTIMIDATED BY THESE MEN.

THIS HAD BEEN GOING ON
FOR ABOUT TEN OR 11 MONTHS,

AND I KNEW I WAS AT AN
EMOTIONAL, A PHYSICAL,

AND A MENTAL BREAKING POINT.

I KNEW THAT IT WAS EITHER
TELL THEM AND GET OUT NOW,

OR SEE MYSELF IN SOME
HOSPITAL SOMEPLACE.

IN THE END, WHEN I FINALLY
AGREED TO SIGN THE PAPER

THAT THEY WANTED ME
TO SIGN AND TOLD MY STORY,

I HAD TO INCRIMINATE THIS
WOMAN SEXUALLY WITH MYSELF.

THEIR PROMISES WERE THAT I WOULD
GET A GENERAL DISCHARGE

AND THAT THEY WOULD MAKE NO
CONTACT AT ALL WITH THIS FAMILY,

BECAUSE IT WAS IMPORTANT
THAT HER PARENTS

NOT KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THIS.

WELL, NEEDLESS TO SAY, BOTH OF
THESE CONDITIONS WERE VIOLATED.

I GOT NEITHER A GENERAL
DISCHARGE NOR DID THEY KEEP

THEIR DISTANCE FROM THAT
FAMILY IN TELLING THEM.

AND TO THIS DAY, THAT
GIRL WILL NOT TALK TO ME.

I ENTERED THE SERVICE
AS AN INTEGRATED PERSONALITY,

TOTALLY ADJUSTED,
CONFIDENT, CAPABLE.

AND I CAME OUT
OF THE SERVICE DISINTEGRATED,

AND WITH NO SELF-IMAGE,
NO PROSPECTS FOR A SECURE

OR A PROFITABLE TOMORROW,
AND IN A SORT OF LIMBO.

- TODAY IS A HIGH POINT
IN THE ROMANCE OF BOB AND MARY.

FOR THEM, THE FUTURE
LOOKS BRIGHT.

- I ASSUMED, OF COURSE,
I HAD TO GET MARRIED.

IT WAS JUST SO PERVASIVE.

YOU KNOW, THE ENTIRE
ECONOMY WAS GEARED TO THIS.

THIS WAS THE BIG
PERIOD OF GROWTH.

WE WERE GETTING--THE EICHLER
HOMES WERE ALL GOING UP

AROUND PALO ALTO,
WHERE I WAS AT THE TIME.

IT WAS BURGEONING
INTO GREATER SUBURBIA.

THREE-BEDROOM HOMES
WERE THE THING,

AND YOU WONDERED
HOW YOU WERE GOING TO GET

YOUR FOUR CHILDREN INTO
THREE-BEDROOM HOMES.

AND IT WAS JUST SO ACCEPTED,

THAT ALMOST EVERYBODY
THAT I KNEW BOUGHT INTO THIS.

- * LITTLE BOXES
ON THE HILLSIDE *

* LITTLE BOXES
MADE OF TICKY-TACKY *

* LITTLE BOXES
ON THE HILLSIDE *

*LITTLE BOXES ALL THE SAME *

*THERE'S A PINK ONE
AND A GREEN ONE *

* AND A BLUE ONE
AND A YELLOW ONE *

*AND THEY'RE ALL MADE
OUT OF TICKY-TACKY *

*AND THEY ALL LOOK
JUST THE SAME *

- I TRIED MARRIAGE.

I TRIED TO ACT LIKE I SAW
ALL OTHER WOMEN ACTING.

- THE HAND WITH
THE SOFT TOUCH

HOLDS HER MAN
IN THE PALM OF HER HAND,

'CAUSE A MAN IS A SOFT TOUCH

FOR THAT SOFT TOUCH.

- ONE OF THE REASONS
THAT THE GAY PEOPLE MARRY--

BECAUSE THERE IS A CERTAIN
AMOUNT OF SOCIAL PRESSURE

TO DO THAT.

NOW, THAT SOCIAL PRESSURE
WAS A LOT STRONGER

20 OR 30 YEARS AGO
THAN IT IS NOW,

AND 100 YEARS AGO IT WAS
VIRTUALLY MANDATORY.

YOU WERE EXPECTED--

YOU WERE EITHER A CHARITY CASE
IN YOUR OWN FAMILY,

OR YOU MARRIED,

BECAUSE THERE WERE VERY FEW
THINGS YOU COULD DO--

THIS IS FOR WOMEN.

- IN RETROSPECT,
I WOULD HAVE TO SAY

THAT IT'S HOMOSEXUAL PANIC.

BUT I'D CERTAINLY MANAGED
TO CONVINCE MYSELF AT THE TIME,

ANYWAY, THAT I WAS DOING IT FOR
ALL THE APPROPRIATE REASONS.

I WAS IN LOVE.
I WANTED A FAMILY.

THIS SEEMED TO BE
THE THING TO DO.

- THERE WAS NO ACCEPTANCE.

YOU DIDN'T HAVE ANY OF
THE SECURITY OF BEING MARRIED,

NO FAMILY ACCEPTANCE.

YOU COULDN'T GO HOME AND SAY,
"MOM, MEET MY WIFE"

OR "MY HUSBAND" OR WHOEVER.

- IN 1950, A TIME OF SEVERE
POLITICAL AND SOCIAL REPRESSION,

AMERICA'S FIRST ORGANIZATION
OF HOMOSEXUALS,

THE MATTACHINE SOCIETY,

WAS FOUNDED BY
A SMALL GROUP OF MEN

INCLUDING HARRY HAY
AND CHUCK ROWLAND.

- WE DIDN'T KNOW AT THAT
POINT, NONE OF US KNEW,

THAT THERE HAD EVER BEEN
A GAY ORGANIZATION OF ANY SORT,

ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD BEFORE.

- NO, WE DID NOT.

- ABSOLUTELY NO
KNOWLEDGE OF THAT AT ALL.

SO HE FELT THAT
WE HAD TO BE VERY,

VERY CAREFUL IN EVERYTHING
THAT WE DID,

AND THINK ABOUT IT
VERY CAREFULLY,

OR WE COULD MAKE A MISTAKE.

AND IF WE MADE A MISTAKE

AND GOT INTO THE PAPERS
THE WRONG WAY,

WE COULD HURT THE IDEA OF
A MOVEMENT FOR YEARS TO COME.

AND WE WERE TERRIFIED
OF DOING THAT.

- THE VERY FIRST GAY MEETING
THAT GREW INTO THE MOVEMENT

AS WE KNOW IT TODAY TOOK
PLACE IN SOMEONE'S APARTMENT

IN LOS ANGELES.

AND I'M TOLD
THEY HAD THE DOOR LOCKED

AND THE BLINDS DRAWN AND A
LOOKOUT POSTED FOR THE POLICE,

BECAUSE THEY ACTUALLY
BELIEVED THEY COULD BE ARRESTED

JUST FOR TALKING
ABOUT HOMOSEXUALITY.

- "GAY" WAS SUPPOSEDLY
SOMETHING YOU WERE ASHAMED OF.

AND IT WAS "OH, THAT PERSON
IS A QUEER"--

OR EVEN WORSE,
YOU WOULDN'T EVEN VERBALIZE IT.

IT WOULDN'T BE TALKED ABOUT.

SO FOR THE IDEA OF, TO THINK
IN TERMS OF HAVING RIGHTS

OR SOME KIND OF--YOU JUST DIDN'T
PUT TWO AND TWO TOGETHER.

YOU KNOW, YOU JUST SLID BY.

- I FOUND THAT
THERE WERE ONLY A FEW

WHO WERE THINKING BEYOND

JUST HAVING A GOOD TIME
OR FINDING THAT PERSONAL LOVER.

I HAD AN AUTOMATIC REACTION,

AND HARRY HAY AND OTHERS SEEMED
TO HAVE AN AUTOMATIC REACTION,

THAT THIS IS A SOCIAL PROBLEM
THAT NEEDS TO BE DEALT WITH.

- AND I'M THINKING
OF THIS IN '48.

AND I WRITE ALL THIS DOWN.

THEN I START LOOKING FOR
PEOPLE WHO WILL JOIN ME.

AND I TALK TO HUNDREDS
OF PEOPLE AT THIS POINT.

AND IT'S NOT UNTIL JULY
OF 1950 THAT I MEET RUDY.

AND HE TAKES ONE LOOK AT
IT AND SAYS, "WOW, ME TOO."

- I LOOKED AT IT WITH
DELIGHT AND SAID,

"MY GOD, I COULD HAVE WRITTEN
THIS MYSELF."

AND THAT WAS
THE BEGINNING OF IT.

- MM-HMM.

- IN ADDITION TO SPONSORING
DISCUSSION GROUPS

AND FIGHTING POLICE ENTRAPMENT,
SOME MEMBERS BEGAN AMERICA'S

FIRST HOMOSEXUAL MAGAZINES,
"MATTACHINE REVIEW" AND "ONE."

- "ONE" AND "MATTACHINE REVIEW"
WERE GREAT,

AND I READ THEM
ALL THE TIME.

SEE, THE WHOLE THING IS,
THEY CAME LITERARILY

OUT OF THE CLOSET AND SOCIALLY
OUT OF THE CLOSET AND SAID,

"WE ARE WRITING
A MAGAZINE FOR GAY PEOPLE"

OR FOR HOMOSEXUAL PEOPLE.

THEY WERE THE ONLY PLACE
IN PUBLIC WHERE YOU COULD

TALK ABOUT IT--
ABOUT BEING GAY.

- "MATTACHINE" WAS
INSTRUMENTAL

IN HELPING PSYCHOLOGIST
EVELYN HOOKER FIND WELL-ADJUSTED

HOMOSEXUAL MEN FOR HER
GROUNDBREAKING STUDIES.

- THERE WAS ABSOLUTELY
NOTHING IN THE PSYCHIATRIC

OR PSYCHOLOGICAL
LITERATURE WHICH CONCERNED

WELL-FUNCTIONING GAY MALES.

I SET OUT TO COLLECT
A GROUP OF GAY MALES

WHO WERE FUNCTIONING
COMPARATIVELY WELL,

WHO WERE GAINFULLY EMPLOYED,

WERE NOT IN PSYCHIATRIC
OR PSYCHOLOGICAL TREATMENT,

AND TO COMPARE THEM
WITH HETEROSEXUAL MALES.

THE RESULT WERE FANTASTIC.

NAMELY, THAT THERE WERE
ALMOST NO NUMERICAL DIFFERENCES

IN THE PERCENTAGES OF MEN
IN EITHER GROUP

WHO HAD SUPERIOR ADJUSTMENT,
ACCORDING TO MY EXPERT JUDGES.

- A HANDFUL OF WOMEN,
INCLUDING DEL MARTIN

AND PHYLLIS LYON, BEGAN THE
"DAUGHTERS OF BILITIS" IN 1955.

IT WAS A WOMEN'S
ORGANIZATION

THAT OFFERED A SUPPORTIVE
ATMOSPHERE FOR LESBIANS.

EDUCATION ON THE SUBJECT OF
LESBIANS FOR ITS MEMBERS

AS WELL AS FOR THE GENERAL
PUBLIC WAS ITS PRIMARY GOAL.

- THE FIRST ORGANIZATION
IN THE MOVEMENT THAT I JOINED

WAS THE DAUGHTERS OF BILITIS.

AND I FIRST RAN INTO THEM
IN 1956 IN SAN FRANCISCO.

I HAD BEEN TOLD ABOUT
THE GROUP BY MEMBERS OF "ONE"

AND "MATTACHINE," AND I
CALLED UP WHEN I ARRIVED

IN SAN FRANCISCO AND THEY
INVITED ME TO A MEETING

WHICH WAS BEING HELD
THE FOLLOWING NIGHT.

AND THAT NEXT NIGHT,
I WAS IN A ROOM

WITH 12 OTHER LESBIANS
FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MY LIFE,

AND OH,
WHAT A THRILL THAT WAS.

- AT GREAT PERSONAL
AND PROFESSIONAL RISK

TO ITS PUBLISHERS
AND OFTEN TO ITS READERS,

"THE LADDER, A LESBIAN
PUBLICATION," WAS BORN.

ALL TOO OFTEN, THE JOURNAL
WAS THE ONLY LINK WOMEN HAD

TO OTHERS LIKE THEMSELVES.

- THEY SOMEHOW GOT PASSED
AROUND FROM HAND TO HAND.

AND THEY GOT MAILED FROM
ONE SUBSCRIBER TO ANOTHER

IN SOME OTHER PART
OF THE COUNTRY

WHO THEN SENT IT ON
TO SOMEONE ELSE.

AND THE ORGANIZATION'S
LITTLE OFFICES,

THEY'D HAVE LETTERS AND PHONE
CALLS FROM ISOLATED GAY PEOPLE,

SOMETIMES TOO AFRAID EVEN TO
GIVE A NAME ON THE TELEPHONE,

WHO WOULD SAY THINGS LIKE,

"I'M JUST GRATEFUL
FOR YOUR EXISTENCE,

"FOR THE SHEER EXISTENCE
OF GROUPS OF MY OWN KIND

THAT I CAN TURN TO."

- IT TOOK AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT
OF COURAGE IN THE '50s

TO OPENLY DECLARE ONESELF
TO BE A LESBIAN OR A GAY MALE.

AND THESE PEOPLE DID SO.

- IN THE '50s, HOW WERE YOU?

- I WAS MYSELF.

IT MEANT A HELL
OF A STRUGGLE.

IT MEANT HAVING TO USE VIOLENCE
AND DEFEND MY OWN BELIEFS.

MEN WERE JUST HORRIBLE.

IT CAME TO THE POINT WHERE

YOU COULDN'T EVEN
TAP SOMEBODY ON THE BACK

WITHOUT THEM SAYING "QUEER"
AND THIS AND THAT.

AND THIS ONE PARTICULAR
WOMAN DECIDED TO RIDE WITH ME.

AND WE WERE JUST HAVING
JUST A LOT OF FUN

UNTIL FINALLY THERE
WAS MENTION OF QUEER.

YOU HAVE TO DEVELOP
A TOUGH HIDE

TO TAKE CARE
OF THE SOFT INTERIOR.

- WE FIGURED OUT THAT A LOT
OF PEOPLE DIDN'T LIKE US,

AND WE HAD TO
PROTECT OURSELVES.

SO WE GOT TOGETHER,
AND WE FORMED THE "LEE GIRLS."

I CAN'T REMEMBER
IF WE NAMED OURSELVES AFTER--

I CAN'T REMEMBER IF IT WAS
LORELEI LEE OR ROBERT E. LEE,

OR MAYBE BOTH.

WE GOT TOGETHER BECAUSE WE
WEREN'T GONNA PUT UP WITH

BEING PUSHED AROUND.

AND IF SOMEBODY PUSHED
ONE OF US AROUND,

WE WOULD GET 'EM.

- YOU KNOW, I ALWAYS
THOUGHT I WAS DIFFERENT,

AND I DIDN'T THINK
IT WAS ANYBODY ELSE.

AND THEN I WENT
TO REFORM SCHOOL,

AND PSHEW, THERE THEY WERE.

I MEAN, THAT WAS BULLDAGGER'S
HEAVEN TO ME, SHIT.

I WAS RIGHT AT HOME.

BUT SEE, YOU DIDN'T CALL
ME QUEER, NOT TO MY FACE.

YOU'D DO IT
IN A MOVING AUTOMOBILE,

'CAUSE I'D KICK ASS.

I WAS YOUNG, DUMB,
AND FULL OF IT.

- I WENT IN THIS BAR
WITH A GOOD FRIEND OF MINE,

AND THEY HASSLED MY FRIEND
FOR BEING WITH ME

'CAUSE I WAS PRETTY OBVIOUS,
YOU KNOW?

AND THIS BASTARD COME OVER,

AND HE WAS GONNA TAKE A SWING
AT MY FRIEND.

SO I PICKED UP THIS
BIG GLASS ASHTRAY,

AND I HIT HIM
ON THE HEAD, YOU KNOW, POW.

AND IT SHATTERED.

COULDN'T EVEN
FIND THE PIECES.

SPLINTERED IT.

AND BLOOD FLEW LIKE THAT,
YOU KNOW.

AND HE STOOD THERE
FOR A SECOND,

AND I PUT MY BIG BOOT
RIGHT IN HIS GUT,

AND I WENT "GAH!"

AND SLAMMED HIM
ACROSS THE ROOM.

AND HE FELL IN A CHAIR.

AND THE REST OF
THOSE HETEROSEXUALS,

THEY CAME OVER
TO HIS RESCUE,

TOWELS AND BLOOD ALL OVER.

AND I SAID TO MY FRIEND,

"LET'S GET THE HELL
OUT OF HERE."

- THE WOMEN I RAN WITH,
WE KNEW WE WERE OUTSIDERS.

WE KNEW WE WERE
OUTSIDE THE PALE.

WE LIVED IN THE VILLAGE.
WE WERE OUTSIDERS.

WE WERE DYKES, RIGHT?

A LOT OF US WERE ARTISTS.

WE HATED TYPING, RIGHT?

WE DIDN'T WANT STRAIGHT JOBS.

WHATEVER WE DID,
WE WERE THE FRINGE.

NOW, THIS OF COURSE
WAS THE '50s.

IT WAS LIKE THE GAY GIRLS'
VERSION OF THE BEATNIKS.

- WHEN I WAS GROWING UP,

AND ANYONE ELSE IN MY AGE
BRACKET WERE GROWING UP,

MOST OF OUR PARENTS,
WHEN THEY FOUND
OUT WE WERE GAY,

WE WERE EXCOMMUNICATED
FROM THE FAMILY,

OR WE WERE JUST
TOTALLY DROPPED.

WE WEREN'T INVITED TO
A LOT OF FAMILY AFFAIRS.

MY MOTHER, HMM, TORE UP MY
BROTHER'S WEDDING INVITATION

TO ME BECAUSE SHE DIDN'T WANT
THE QUEER COMING TO THE WEDDING.

AND THERE WERE A LOT OF
THINGS THAT HAPPENED LIKE THAT

TO GAY KIDS GROWING UP
IN THE '50s AND THE '60s.

- ABOUT THIS TIME,
MARY DEVELOPED A SUDDEN

STRONG FRIENDSHIP
WITH LUCILLE WILLIAMS.

IT SEEMED THAT MARY COULD
TALK BETTER WITH LUCILLE

THAN WITH ANYBODY.

THEY HAD ABSOLUTELY NO
SECRETS FROM EACH OTHER.

THEY WERE INSEPARABLE.

TO MARY'S MOTHER,
IT SEEMED UNNATURAL,

THIS CONTINUAL INTIMACY,
THIS CONCENTRATION

OF AFFECTION ON ONE
NOT-VERY-UNUSUAL GIRL.

- OH, LUCILLE,
WAIT A MINUTE.

- WHAT?

- ETHEL.
WE FORGOT ABOUT ETHEL.

WE'RE GONNA HAVE
TO BRING ETHEL.

- OH, WE DON'T
HAVE TO BRING HER.

YOU KNOW WHAT SHE'S LIKE
WITH BOYS AND EVERYTHING.

- MARY, DARLING, YOU'RE
KEEPING LUCILLE FROM HER DINNER.

- OH, I WAS JUST
LEAVING, MRS. GIBBS.

- BYE-BYE.
I'LL SEE YOU TOMORROW.

- OKAY, THEN.
BYE.

- NEXT THERE WAS
A CRUSH ON ETHEL HAMPTON,

SENIOR GIRLS'
TENNIS CHAMPION.

MARY SEEMED TO HAVE A REAL NEED
TO BE STIRRED UP ABOUT SOMEONE.

- *THE GIRL I MARRY
WILL PROBABLY BE *

* AS BUTCH AS A HUNK
OF MACHINERY *

* THE GIRL I IDOLIZE

*WILL WEAR SLACKS
WITH FLY-FRONTS *

* TAILORED SHIRTS AND BOWTIES

* SHE'LL WALK WITH A SWAGGER
AND WEAR SHORT HAIR *

*AND KEEP ME ENTRANCED
WITH HER TOMBOY AIR *

* 'STEAD OF CRUISIN' *

*I'LL BE USIN' *

* HER SHOULDER
TO LEAN ON WHILE SNOOZIN' *

* A FAINT-HEARTED FAIRY

* THE GIRL THAT I MARRY
WON'T BE *

- IN THOSE DAYS, YOU WERE
EITHER A BUTCH OR A FEMME,

BECAUSE THEY WERE, I GUESS,
EMULATING STRAIGHT SOCIETY.

AND SO, YOU KNOW,
ALL THE THINGS THAT GO ALONG,

THAT EITHER YOU'RE
THE AGGRESSIVE

OR YOU'RE PASSIVE OR WHATEVER.

SO OF COURSE, I CHOSE BUTCH--

BECAUSE I'D ALREADY BEEN
A TOMBOY,

ALREADY WAS
DRESSING PRETTY MASCULINE.

SO THEN I WENT EVEN FURTHER.

ACTUALLY, I WAS A
PISS-POOR BUTCH IN CHICAGO.

THE OTHER BUTCHES
USED TO CRITICIZE ME

'CAUSE I WASN'T BUTCH ENOUGH,
YOU KNOW,

'CAUSE I DIDN'T
ACT LIKE A MAN.

ACTUALLY, I WOULD DRESS
KIND OF MASCULINE,

BUT I DIDN'T REALLY ACT
THAT MUCH LIKE A MAN.

AND THAT WAS THE THING, YOU
WERE SUPPOSED TO ACT LIKE A MAN,

OR, YOU KNOW, BE THE SUPER-LADY,
ONE OR THE OTHER.

- A LOT OF TIMES IF YOU
WANTED TO GO TAKE A GIRL OUT

TO A REAL NICE INTIMATE
DINNER OR WHATEVER,

OR GO INTO A STRAIGHT CLUB TO
SEE A SHOW BUT GO IN AS, LIKE,

DATES, OR GO TO A DRIVE-IN,
IT ALWAYS WORKED MUCH BETTER

IF ONE LOOKED MORE LIKE THE MAN
AND COULD PASS AS A MAN.

AND CHANCES ARE YOU WOULDN'T
FIND A CARLOAD OF STRAIGHT GUYS

PULLING UP NEXT TO YOU
AND SAYING, "QUEER! QUEER!"

AND THEN BEAT
THE SHIT OUT OF YOU.

SO IF YOU LOOKED LIKE A MAN
AND TRIED TO PASS AS A MAN,

YOU WERE SAFER.

- YOU HAVE TO REMEMBER THAT
THE LESBIAN--"GAY GIRLS,"

'CAUSE THAT'S WHAT
WE WERE CALLED--

THE GAY GIRLS' POPULATION
WAS A REFLECTION

OF WHAT ELSE WAS GOING ON,
RIGHT, AROUND US.

AND THAT WAS THE ERA OF,

"LET'S PRETEND THIS IS THE BEST
OF ALL POSSIBLE WORLDS,

THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT WE CHOOSE,
RIGHT, AND THIS IS IT."

SO, LIKE, NOBODY
TALKED ABOUT RACISM.

- RIGHT.

SO IF SOMETHING
HAPPENED TO ME IN A BAR,

I COULDN'T COUNT ON ANYBODY

STANDING UP
AND COVERING MY BACK.

A WHITE LESBIAN WOULD NOT
STAND UP TO COVER MY BACK.

THEY MIGHT SAY, PERSONALLY,

"OH, ISN'T THAT TOO BAD
THAT HAPPENED TO YOU,"

BUT NOT "HEY, THIS
SHOULDN'T HAPPEN, PERIOD."

- * SOMEWHERE OVER THE RAINBOW

- IN THE '50s, HOMOSEXUAL MEN
EXHIBITED A GREAT RANGE

OF SELF-EXPRESSION,
FROM THE MOST MASCULINE,

WHO PASSED AS STRAIGHT, TO
THE MORE FLAMBOYANT DRAG QUEENS

WHO LIVED ON
THE FRINGES OF SOCIETY.

BUT FOR ALL GAY MEN,
CAMPING IT UP,

THE SELF-CONSCIOUS PARODY
OF HETEROSEXUAL BEHAVIOR

AND ATTITUDES,
PLAYED AN IMPORTANT ROLE.

- * WHY, OH, WHY CAN'T I *

- THOSE THAT
WERE THE SISSIES,

THOSE THAT WERE VERY
OPEN WITH BEING GAY,

GENERALLY WERE THE ONES WHO
ACCEPTED THE FEMININE ROLE.

AND THE BOYFRIENDS
AND THE LOVERS AND THINGS

WERE USUALLY VERY MASCULINE
AND USUALLY VERY CLOSETED.

WELL, I'D SAY,
WHAT A SISSY I WAS.

- AND OF COURSE,
THERE WAS BLATANT CAMPING,

BECAUSE WE WERE UNDER
SO MUCH PRESSURE.

YOU DON'T SEE THAT KIND OF
CAMPING AT GAY BARS NOW.

I DO IT BECAUSE IT
MAKES ME FEEL GOOD.

I BELIEVE YOU SHOULD
EXPRESS WHAT YOU ARE

ANY WAY YOU WANT TO.

I DO IT BECAUSE
I LIKE WHEN SOMEBODY SAYS,

"OH, GOD, YOU'RE GORGEOUS.
OH, GOD, YOU'RE GORGEOUS."

I LOVE THAT!
WHO WOULDN'T?

- *THE GAY YOUNG LAD
FROM TRINIDAD *

* OH, WHAT A TIME I ALMOST HAD

* HE WAS AS GAY AS HE COULD BE

* BUT HE WAS MUCH
TOO GAY FOR ME *

* I ALWAYS KNEW
THEY GREW PALM TREES *

* BANANAS THEY ALWAYS HAD

*BUT YOU CAN IMAGINE
MY SURPRISE *

* I FOUND A PANSY IN TRINIDAD

* THE GAY YOUNG LAD
FROM TRINIDAD *

*OH, WHAT A TIME I ALMOST HAD *

*I MIGHT HAVE SOWED
A FEW WILD OATS *

* BUT HE PREFERRED
BANANA BOATS *

- IT'S NOT AS IF THE '50s

WERE A TIME OF SIMPLY
TOTAL DESPERATION.

IT DEPENDS WHO YOU WERE,
WHERE YOU WERE,

HOW LUCKY YOU WERE--
WHETHER YOU WERE LUCKY ENOUGH,

FOR EXAMPLE,
TO MEET A SET OF FRIENDS

WHO WERE TRULY SUPPORTIVE.

- AND THEY JUST TOOK ME
TO THEIR COLLECTIVE BOSOM,

SO TO SPEAK,
AND BOY, WAS THAT FUN.

AND THEY TOOK ME
TO A GIRLS' SOFTBALL GAME,

AND OF COURSE I DIDN'T CARE
ANYTHING ABOUT SOFTBALL,

BUT I SURE LIKED WATCHING
ALL THE GIRLS RUN AROUND THERE

IN THOSE SHORTS.

- YOU COULD JUST GO TO
ANY SMALL TOWN SOFTBALL FIELD

AND JUST WAIT.

SOONER OR LATER, THAT'S
WHERE THEY WOULD ALL COME.

WHAT WE'D DO IF WE WERE
IN A STRANGE PLACE

OR WE WERE LONELY AND WE WANTED
TO MAKE FRIENDS OR SOMETHING,

WE WOULD JUST PICK
THE LIKELIEST-LOOKING PEOPLE

AND FOLLOW THEM.

AND THEN WE WOULD START
LAUGHING AND GIGGLING

AND FOLLOWING THEM IN THE CAR,

AND EVENTUALLY
THEY WOULD NOTICE.

AND THEY WOULD EITHER JOIN IN
THE FUN AND LET US FOLLOW THEM,

AND WE'D END UP IN A BAR
OR WHEREVER THEY HUNG OUT

AND GET TO TALKING,

OR THEY WOULD PANIC
AND TAKE OFF,

AND THAT WOULD BE
THE END OF THAT,

AND WE'D BE STUCK UNTIL
THE NEXT SATURDAY.

- WE LOVED EACH
OTHER VERY MUCH.

WE HAD A CIRCLE OF
SUPPORTIVE FRIENDS.

THERE WERE SOME BARS
THAT WE COULD GO TO.

- THE BAR SCENE
WAS MISERABLE.

IT WAS JUST NOTHING
LIKE IT IS TODAY.

AND WHEN YOU SAY,
"DID YOU FIND A BAR TO GO TO?"

IT WASN'T THAT EASY
AT ALL, BACK THEN.

- BACK IN THE '50s AND '60s,

THEY WOULD BACK A PADDY WAGON
UP TO THE DOOR.

AND EVERYBODY,
REGARDLESS OF WHO THEY WERE--

MY MOTHER AND FATHER
ALMOST GOT CAUGHT.

- THEY WOULD USE ANY
EXCUSE TO ARREST YOU,

AS LONG AS THEY
KNEW YOU WERE GAY.

I MEAN, IT WAS LIKE
THEY HARASSED THE WOMEN

BY THEIR DRESS OUTFITS.

THEY HARASSED THE MEN
IF THEY LOOKED A LITTLE NELLY

ON THE STREET,
AND THEY'D JUST PUSH THEM,

JUST TO GET THEM TO EITHER
MOUTH OFF OR SAY,

"HEY, LEAVE ME ALONE."

THE POLICE WOULD SAY,
"OKAY, YOU'RE RESISTING ARREST.

NOW YOU GO TO JAIL."
WHATEVER.

SO THERE WAS ALWAYS A CONSTANT
PRESSURE BEING PUT ON US.

- IT'S ALMOST VIGILANTE
MENTALITY IS WHAT IT WAS.

I MEAN, JUST THIS BUSINESS
OF BACKING A PADDY WAGON UP--

NOT ONE, BUT HAVING
TWO OR THREE OUT THERE

AND SCOOPING EVERYBODY UP.

TAKING THEM DOWN,
BOOKING THEM,

AND THEN THE NEXT DAY IN
AT LEAST ONE OF THE NEWSPAPERS,

ALL OF THE NAMES
OF THE PEOPLE THAT WERE BOOKED

AT THIS GAY BAR OR THAT
GAY BAR WOULD BE PUBLISHED,

AND PEOPLE LOST THEIR JOBS.

- THEY WERE TRAINING REALLY
GOOD-LOOKING AND YOUNG

OFFICERS, YOU KNOW, HOW TO
BE GAY, HOW TO APPEAR GAY.

YOU WOULD EVEN BE
APPROACHED WITH, YOU KNOW,

"WHAT'S HAPPENING?"

HOPING YOU WOULD SAY ANYTHING
TO THEM SEXUAL OR EVEN HINTING.

YOU KNOW, YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO--
JUST HINTING TO THAT FACT,

AND YOU'D FIND
YOURSELF UNDER ARREST.

- *SO WATCH OUT
FOR THE VICE SQUAD *

* BREAKING UP
THAT GANG OF MINE *

- ANY PERSONAL EXPRESSION,

PARTICULARLY RELATING
TO GENITALS AND EROS AND HEART

THAT WOULD THREATEN
THE AUTHORITY OF THE STATE

WAS ILLEGAL
IN LITERATURE AND ART.

"PORN," AS THEY CALLED IT.

THERE WERE A SERIES OF
TRIALS IN THE LATE '50s

THAT LIBERATED THE WORD.

AND THAT MEANT A WHOLE
SPIRITUAL LIBERATION AFTER THAT.

ONE OF THE EARLY TRIALS WAS
THE "HOWL" TRIAL IN '56.

- ALLEN GINSBERG'S "HOWL,"
A BOOK OF POETRY

WITH GRAPHIC HOMOSEXUAL IMAGES,
WAS SEIZED BY THE POLICE.

THE ACLU,

WITH THE HELP
OF LITERARY FIGURES

INCLUDING LAWRENCE FERLINGHETTI,
WON THIS PRECEDENT-SETTING CASE.

- SO THEY LOST.

SO WE GOT A LOT
OF PUBLICITY.

SO THE BOOK SOLD
LIKE HOTCAKES,

AND THE CENSORS ACTED
AS PUBLICISTS

FOR A NEW SENSIBILITY.

- "HOWL" EVENTUALLY BECAME

AMERICA'S BESTSELLING BOOK
OF POETRY.

IN 1958,

ONE MAGAZINE WON A CASE AGAINST
THE POSTAL SERVICE,

WHICH ALLOWED
ALL GAY PUBLICATIONS

USE OF THE U.S. MAIL.

- FOLLOWING THE SECOND
WORLD WAR, REALLY,

THE ENTIRE PUBLISHING HISTORY
IN THE UNITED STATES CHANGED.

PAPERBACK NOVELS
BECAME VERY POPULAR.

AND ALONG WITH THE RISE OF
THE PAPERBACK NOVELS IN GENERAL,

LESBIAN PAPERBACK
ORIGINALS BEGAN TO BE PUBLISHED

IN ENORMOUS QUANTITIES.

THERE WERE THOUSANDS OF THEM
BETWEEN ABOUT 1950 AND 1965.

AND THEY RANGE FROM
JUST INCREDIBLE TRASH,

BOOKS WITH TITLES LIKE,
"THE TWISTED ONES"--

IT'S JUST, YOU KNOW,
A REALLY TRIFE-Y NOVEL.

AND AT THE SAME TIME,
THOUGH, AMONG THOSE,

THERE WERE PERHAPS 100--
OUT OF ALL THE THOUSANDS,

ABOUT 100--

THAT WERE WRITTEN BY WOMEN
FOR WOMEN.

AND BOOKS LIKE
"ODD GIRL OUT"

BY ANN BANNON THAT
FIRST APPEARED IN 1957.

IT'S NOW REALLY
A CLASSIC NOVEL

IN WHAT THEY CALL
THE PAPERBACK GENRE.

- MY INITIAL ACQUAINTANCE

WITH ANY KIND
OF LESBIAN LITERATURE

CAME THROUGH
A PAPERBACK REISSUE

OF RADCLYFFE HALL'S
"WELL OF LONELINESS."

I SUPPOSE THAT'S
TRUE FOR LOTS OF US.

I HAVE A FRIEND WHO SAID,
"I USED TO STAND IN THE STACKS

"AT THE LIBRARY 'CAUSE
I DIDN'T HAVE THE COURAGE

"TO GO UP TO THE LIBRARIAN
AND CHECK IT OUT.

AND I'D STAND THERE AND I'D CRY
AND I'D READ RADCLYFFE HALL."

SO I KIND OF DID
THE SAME THING.

AND THEN I FOUND A NOVEL
CALLED "SPRING FIRE,"

WRITTEN BY A WRITER
NAMED VIN PACKER.

AND SHE WAS CONTEMPORARY,
AND THIS WAS IN THE MID-'50s,

AND I WROTE HER
A LETTER, AND SHE SAID,

"WHY DON'T YOU COME
UP TO NEW YORK,

AND I'LL INTRODUCE
YOU TO MY PUBLISHER."

AND I GOT MYSELF TO
NEW YORK AS FAST AS I COULD,

WITH MY MANUSCRIPT IN HAND.

"ODD GIRL OUT"
WAS THE RESULT.

- IN 1957, "ODD GIRL OUT"
WAS FAWCETT GOLD MEDAL'S

SECOND BESTSELLING PAPERBACK
ORIGINAL TITLE OF THE YEAR.

- I GUESS I WAS BROUGHT OUT,

YOU MIGHT SAY,
BY AN OLDER WOMAN,

WHICH WAS IN THE FORM
OF ONE OF ANN BANNON'S BOOKS

I PICKED UP IN A DRUGSTORE
COMING HOME FROM SCHOOL ONE DAY.

AND I PICKED UP
THIS PAPERBACK,

AND I OPENED IT UP.

AND IT SAID SOMETHING
ABOUT THE YOUNG GIRL

AND THE OLDER WOMAN,
AND THE--

TOUCHED HER LEG OR
HER BREAST OR SOMETHING

AS SHE WAS DANCING,
AND OH, MY GOD.

IT SENT A SHIVER OF WHOO!

EXCITEMENT IN MY WHOLE BODY THAT
I HAD NEVER EXPERIENCED BEFORE.

- SHE PUT AN ARM AROUND LAURA
AND SQUEEZED HER A LITTLE.

LAURA WAS EMBARRASSED
AND GRATEFUL AT THE SAME TIME.

IT WAS SO GOOD.

- AFTER I READ THAT BOOK,
I KNEW THAT'S WHAT I WANTED.

I DESIRED A WOMAN.

I MEAN, THAT'S WHAT I WANTED.
WHAT ELSE WAS THERE?

- AND I CAN REMEMBER
SOMEBODY SAYING

THAT ALL THE QUEERS LIVED

IN GREENWICH VILLAGE
IN NEW YORK CITY.

THAT WAS THE IMAGE,
"WHERE ALL THE QUEERS LIVED."

AS SOON AS I HEARD THAT, I KNEW
THAT'S WHERE I WANTED TO LIVE.

AND A FEW MONTHS OUT OF
HIGH SCHOOL, I WAS HERE.

- THE LESBIANS AND GAY PEOPLE
WERE COMING FROM PHILADELPHIA,

JERSEY CITY--
THIS WAS DURING THE SUMMER.

THEY WERE JUST COMING FROM
ALL OVER TO BE IN NEW YORK CITY

AND CRUISE GREENWICH VILLAGE.

- *ONCE I HAD SECRET LOVE *

* THAT LIVED WITHIN
THE HEART OF ME *

- WELL, HONEY,
WHEN I WENT THERE,

THERE WAS LESBIANS IN
THE STREETS IN DROVES.

WOMEN THAT LOOKED LIKE MEN,
MEN THAT LOOKED LIKE WOMEN.

WOMEN WITH THEIR
HAIR SLICKED BACK,

DOING THE TRIP,
THE FEMMES WITH THE BEEHIVES.

I FOUND MYSELF A GIRLFRIEND.

YOU KNOW, SHE WAS
LIKE, THE FEMME TYPE.

AND I LOVED IT.

AND I REALLY FELT AT PEACE, AND
I STARTED HAVING LOVERS EASILY,

'CAUSE THEY WERE THERE
TO PICK AND CHOOSE FROM.

AND SEE, IN CHICAGO
THERE WAS NOT THAT.

- * NOW I SHOUT IT

* FROM THE HIGHEST HILL

- GOOD EVENING,
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.

AND ONCE AGAIN,

I WELCOME YOU ON BEHALF OF THE
WORKING STAFF OF THE BLACK CAT,

THE MOST FAMOUS BOHEMIAN BAR
IN THE WORLD.

WHERE ARE YOU FROM, SIR?

- ASHTABULA, OHIO.

- THERE MUST BE AT LEAST ONE
QUEEN IN ASHTABULA, OHIO.

THAT'S ALL I GOT TO SAY.

AND WHERE ARE YOU FROM, SIR?

LOOK GORGEOUS.
MOTHER'S HERE.

- IT WAS A BOHEMIAN BAR,

WHICH HAD THE REPUTATION
OF ALSO BEING A GAY BAR.

AND THERE WAS A PIANIST
WHO WOULD PLAY GAY SONGS

AND THERE WAS A COUPLE OF
FLOUNCY BARTENDERS.

BUT BASICALLY IT WAS
WIDE OPEN FOR EVERYBODY.

ANYTHING GOES.

IT WAS TOTAL
HUMAN TOLERANCE.

- MY GOD, IT'S JOSE.

- THE BLACK CAT
WAS NOT A BAR.

IT WAS A FAMILY.

IT WAS--
THOSE WERE MY FRIENDS.

AND THEY TOOK ME IN,
AND THEY TOOK CARE OF ME.

THEY FED ME WHEN
I WAS UNEMPLOYED.

THEY PATTED MY HAND WHEN I WAS
HURTING FROM A LOVE AFFAIR.

- AND WILL YOU EVER FORGET
THAT HANDSOME BLACK MAN WHO,

WHEN I WOULD COME TO WORK
EARLY TO SEE HIM GET READY,

HE WAS TALL AND THIN--

- WOMEN WOULD COME
AND SIT AT ONE END OF THE BAR,

AND THE MEN WOULD SIT
AT THE OTHER, AND THIS ONE,

WITH HIS APRON, NOT DOWN TO
HERE BUT JUST DOWN TO HERE,

WALK AND SERVE LIKE THIS.

WALK AND SERVE LIKE THIS.

OH, SHE WAS A GAY GIRL.

- THE BLACK CAT HELPED
TO MAKE HOMOSEXUALS

MORE VISIBLE IN SAN FRANCISCO,

SO MUCH SO THAT
IN THE 1959 RACE FOR MAYOR,

CHALLENGER RUSSELL WOLDEN
ATTACKED MAYOR CHRISTOPHER

FOR ALLOWING THE CITY
TO BECOME A HOMOSEXUAL HAVEN.

WOLDEN'S STRATEGY BACKFIRED,

AND CHRISTOPHER WAS REELECTED
BY A LANDSLIDE.

BUT ONCE ELECTED,
CHRISTOPHER DECLARED WAR

ON THE BLACK CAT
AND OTHER GAY BARS.

THE BAR OWNERS ORGANIZED
THEMSELVES INTO A TAVERN GUILD

AND BEGAN TO FIGHT BACK,

CHARGING THE POLICE
WITH EXTORTION.

- WELL, THE TAVERN GUILD,
THEY HAD AN EFFECT.

BECAUSE POLITICIANS IN
THE CITY BEGAN TO REALIZE THAT

THERE WAS A GAY VOTING BLOCK,

THOUGH IT DIDN'T DEVELOP AS SUCH
DURING THAT PERIOD OF TIME.

- THEY LOST IN COURT
AND TURNED TO THE BALLOT BOX.

THEY RAN THE BLACK
CAT'S STAR ATTRACTION,

THE NIGHTINGALE OF
MONTGOMERY STREET,

JOSE SARRIA,
FOR CITY SUPERVISOR.

- WE HAD A CAMPAIGN.
"VOTE FOR JOSE."

AND I THINK HE GOT
SOMETHING LIKE 8,000 VOTES.

WHAT THEY WERE TRYING TO DO
WAS TO SHOW THE GAY STRENGTH.

AND IT REALLY DIDN'T
WORK BECAUSE EVEN THEN,

AND A SECRET BALLOT
AND EVERYTHING,

PEOPLE WERE AFRAID
TO VOTE FOR JOSE

BECAUSE IT WAS A GAY CANDIDATE.

- I'VE ALWAYS TOLD PEOPLE,
ESPECIALLY YOUNG ONES,

THERE'S NOTHING
WRONG IN BEING GAY.

ABSOLUTELY NOTHING.

GETTING CAUGHT IS WHERE
YOU PAY THE PRICE.

- THE FANTASTIC
EFFORT THAT WENT ON,

THAT DID THE GROUNDWORK
FOR A LOT OF THE GAY FREEDOMS,

WE HAVE IN OUR CITY TODAY,

IN OUR COUNTRY,
AND IN OUR CULTURE,

AND A LOT OF IT DID GET GOING
BEFORE STONEWALL.

BUT IT WAS GROUNDWORK.

- LET US ALL STAND

AND, FOR ONE MORE TIME,

GIVE THANKS FOR WHAT WE ARE.

all: * GOD SAVE US
NELLY QUEENS *

* GOD SAVE US NELLY QUEENS

* GOD SAVE US QUEENS

* FROM EVERY MOUNTAINSIDE

* LORD MAY WE LIVE OR DIE

* GOD SAVE US NELLY QUEENS

* GOD SAVE US QUEENS

all: * FOR DEEP IN MY HEART

* I DO BELIEVE

* WE SHALL OVERCOME SOMEDAY

- THE BLACK POWER
AND THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT

OF THE LATE '50s
AND THE '60s

WAS THE PROTOTYPE OF EVERY
SINGLE LIBERATION MOVEMENT

IN THIS COUNTRY THAT WE ARE
STILL DEALING WITH.

- THE CROWD OCCUPIES
EVERY INCH ON THE LAWNS

AND UNDER THE TREES,

AND THERE'S A GREAT
SWELL OF CHEERS

TO WELCOME MARTIN LUTHER KING
TO THE SPEAKER'S PODIUM,

THE MAN WHO STANDS AS A SYMBOL
OF ALL THEY ARE FIGHTING FOR.

- I HAVE A DREAM

THAT ONE DAY
THIS NATION WILL RISE UP,

LIVE OUT THE TRUE
MEANING OF ITS CREED.

- AFRICAN AMERICANS
SAID, "NO MORE."

THEY REFUSED TO HIDE
BEHIND THE STEREOTYPES

THAT WE WERE SUPPOSED TO HAVE.

WE SAID, "NO GOOD. NO GOOD."
YOU KNOW?

AND THEN EVERYBODY
GOT TO FEELING,

WHATEVER THEIR
OPPRESSION WAS,

"WELL, MAYBE I DON'T HAVE
TO TAKE THIS EITHER."

- I THINK THAT THE CONNECTIONS
BETWEEN BLACK LIBERATION

AND WOMEN'S LIBERATION AND
GAY LIBERATION ARE VERY DEEP.

MANY OF US WHO WENT SOUTH
TO WORK WITH DR. KING

IN THE '60s WERE GAY.

I REMEMBER A PLANE
GOING DOWN TO CHICAGO.

THERE WERE SIX PRIESTS,
AND THREE OF US WERE GAY.

A LOT OF GAY PEOPLE

WHO COULD NOT COME OUT
FOR THEIR OWN LIBERATION

COULD INVEST THOSE SAME ENERGIES

IN THE LIBERATION
OF BLACK PEOPLE.

- YOU NEED TO BEGIN
WITH A MOVEMENT,

WHICH IS WHAT BLACK POWER AND
THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT WAS.

THEN, IMMEDIATELY WITHIN IT,
YOU ARE GOING TO GET THOSE

PEOPLE WHOSE DIFFERENCES
ARE NOT BEING ARTICULATED,

WHICH IS, RIGHT, US.

SO THEN THERE IS
IMMEDIATELY ANOTHER STEP.

- IN THE '60s,
THERE WAS A DISTINCT CHANGE

IN THE TEMPER AND THE TEMPO
OF THE GAY MOVEMENT.

PARTLY AS A RESULT OF THE BLACK
CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT MILITANCY,

WE BEGAN TO GET MORE MILITANT
IN THE GAY MOVEMENT.

WE BEGAN TO SEE THAT
THE PROBLEM OF HOMOSEXUALITY

IS NOT REALLY GAY
PEOPLE'S PROBLEM.

IT'S A PROBLEM
OF THE SOCIAL ATTITUDES

OF THE PEOPLE AROUND US.

AND WE HAD TO CHANGE
THEIR ATTITUDES,

AND THAT IN TURN WOULD HELP
US WITH OUR SELF-IMAGE.

- AND THE WHITE GAY PEOPLE
WHO HAD AN INVESTMENT

IN THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT
HAD THE EXPERIENCE, BY THEN,

OF LIBERATION MOVEMENT,
OF CONFRONTATIONAL TECHNIQUES,

OF NON-VIOLENT STRUGGLE,

AND BEGAN TO USE
THESE SAME TECHNIQUES

ON BEHALF
OF THEIR OWN MOVEMENT.

- 1965 WAS OUR BIG
PICKETING YEAR.

WE HAD MARCHED ACROSS
THE STREET

AND PROCEEDED TO PICKET RIGHT
OVER THERE FOR TWO HOURS.

WE HAD NO IDEA WHAT
THE POLICE WOULD DO

OR HOW THEY WOULD BEHAVE,
SO WE SCHEDULED THE WHOLE THING

WITHOUT ANY NOTICE TO ANYBODY,
AND NOTHING HAPPENED.

NOBODY THREW ROCKS AT US.

IT WAS MAGNIFICENTLY
SUCCESSFUL.

AND THE STATE DEPARTMENT,
OF COURSE,

HAD BEEN REALLY ZEROED IN
ON BY MCCARTHY A GOOD 12,

15 YEARS BEFORE, AND THAT'S
WHERE MORE FIRINGS, I THINK,

HAD OCCURRED THAN ANY
OTHER ONE SINGLE AGENCY.

AND SO WE FELT IT WAS
APPROPRIATE TO PICKET.

BY THAT TIME, WE HAD
OUR PROCEDURES DOWN PAT.

WE WOULD SEND OUT A NEWS RELEASE
A WEEK OR SO IN ADVANCE,

AND BY SHEER GOOD LUCK,

SECRETARY OF STATE RUSK
WAS HAVING A NEWS CONFERENCE

THE NIGHT BEFORE.

- WELL, I UNDERSTAND
THAT WE'RE BEING PICKETED

BY A GROUP OF HOMOSEXUALS.

THE POLICY
OF THE DEPARTMENT IS

THAT WE DO NOT EMPLOY
HOMOSEXUALS KNOWINGLY,

AND THAT IF WE DISCOVER
HOMOSEXUALS IN OUR DEPARTMENT,

WE DISCHARGE THEM.

- ONE OF THE MAJOR SUCCESSES
OF THE GAY MOVEMENT

IN THE 1960s
WAS OUR BREAKTHROUGH

INTO MAINSTREAM PUBLICITY.

- ACCORDING TO
KINSEY'S ESTIMATE,

THERE ARE ABOUT
200,000 HOMOSEXUALS

IN THE LOS ANGELES AREA.

WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT
THOSE PEOPLE TONIGHT,

AND ABOUT THE PROBLEM
THEY PRESENT

TO THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE.

YOU'LL HEAR FROM
A PSYCHIATRIST,

A POLICE OFFICIAL,
AND A HOMOSEXUAL.

NAME, PLEASE.

- CURTIS WHITE.

- YOUR OCCUPATION?
- I'M AN OFFICE WORKER.

- ARE YOU A HOMOSEXUAL,
MR. WHITE?

- YES.

- I'D LIKE TO ASK YOU,

DOES YOUR FAMILY KNOW
THAT YOU'RE A HOMOSEXUAL?

- THEY DIDN'T UNTIL TONIGHT.

- DO YOU THINK
THEY'RE LIKELY TO LEARN

ABOUT YOUR HOMOSEXUALITY
AS A RESULT OF THIS PROGRAM?

- I'M ALMOST
CERTAIN THEY WILL.

AND I'M QUITE CERTAIN THAT
I WILL PROBABLY LOSE MY JOB

AS A RESULT OF THE PROGRAM TOO.

- WELL, THEN,
MAY I ASK WHY YOU AGREED

TO APPEAR ON THIS PROGRAM?

- I HOPE THAT THROUGH THIS
MEANS I CAN BE OF SOME USE

TO SOMEONE ELSE
OTHER THAN MYSELF.

- AS MUCH PUBLICITY
AS POSSIBLE WAS THE WHOLE IDEA,

TO CRACK THAT SHIELD OF
INVISIBILITY THAT HAD ALWAYS

MADE IT DIFFICULT FOR US
TO GET OUR MESSAGE ACROSS.

- THE MAJORITY OF GAY PEOPLE
IN THE '60s

WERE TERRIBLY CONCERNED WITH
THE IMAGE OF THE HOMOSEXUAL.

- THE MEN HAD TO
WEAR SUITS AND TIES,

AND THE WOMEN ALL HAD
TO WEAR DRESSES AND HEELS.

I THINK NYLONS, EVEN.

THE MORE CONSERVATIVE ELEMENTS,

THEIR BASIC FEELING WAS,

"WELL, WE'RE FIGHTING
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT FOR JOBS.

"THEREFORE WE HAVE
TO LOOK EMPLOYABLE

BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT."

- MANY OF US ACCEPTED THE IDEA
THAT IF WE DRESSED PROPERLY,

IF WE BEHAVED PROPERLY,

IF WE DIDN'T MAKE WAVES,

IF WE DIDN'T DRAW ATTENTION
TO OURSELVES,

PEOPLE WOULD ACCEPT US--
BUT NOT KNOWING WHO WE WERE,

AND WE GRADUALLY,
SOME OF US,

BEGAN TO TAKE THE POSITION
THAT WE HAD TO ASSERT OURSELVES.

- ONE OF THE MORE MILITANT
ASSERTIONS PUT FORWARD

BY FRANK KAMENY AND OTHER
HOMOSEXUAL LEADERS

WAS THE IDEA THAT GAY PEOPLE
WERE NOT MENTALLY ILL.

EVEN WITHIN THE MOVEMENT,

THIS CONCEPT PROVOKED
INTENSE DEBATE.

- THEY CREATED QUITE A STIR.

IT'S HARD FOR YOUNG
PEOPLE TODAY TO IMAGINE,

AS LITTLE AS 20 YEARS AGO,

100 GAY PEOPLE SITTING AROUND

AND ARGUING OVER
WHETHER OR NOT

THEY SHOULD SAY THAT THEY
WEREN'T MENTALLY ILL.

- WELL, WE CAN DEBATE
WHAT IS AN ILLNESS

OR WHETHER IT IS
AN ILLNESS OR NOT.

I HAPPEN TO SUBSCRIBE
TO THE BELIEF

THAT IT IS A TRAGIC ILLNESS,

A NEUROSIS THE SAME
AS MANY OTHER NEUROSES.

- EVERY PSYCHIATRIC
VIEWPOINT TREATED HOMOSEXUALITY

AS PSYCHOLOGICALLY PATHOLOGICAL.

I TAUGHT THAT VIEWPOINT
UNTIL I LEARNED BETTER.

- HOMOSEXUALITY,

AS IT WAS STILL CALLED
BY THE THERAPISTS,

WAS A CHARACTER DISORDER.

MY ONLY HOPE OF
ACHIEVING "HEALTH,"

AND MY ONLY HOPE OF
HAVING A HAPPY LIFE,

WAS TO CHANGE MY
SEXUAL ORIENTATION.

AND FOR, AS I REMEMBER IT,
NEARLY TWO YEARS,

I NOT ONLY WENT WITHOUT SEX,
BUT I GAVE UP A LOVER,

A MAN I HAD BEEN
SEEING AT THE TIME,

UNDER THE PRESSURE
OF THE GROUP.

- AND SEE, THIS PROCESS
THAT YOU GO THROUGH

AS A YOUNG LESBIAN,

OF FINDING EVERYTHING
IN SOCIETY NOT FITTING YOU,

YOU HAVE A CHOICE TO BECOME
SICK AND MENTALLY ILL,

OR TO TRUST YOURSELF
AND FLY WITH THAT.

WELL, I DECIDED TO TRUST
MYSELF AND FLY WITH THAT.

- THE ASSUMPTION IS THAT
WOMEN SHOULDN'T LIKE MATH.

THEY SHOULDN'T LIKE SCIENCE.

THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO LIKE
ONLY HOME ECONOMICS,

WHEN THERE ARE HUNDREDS
OF THOUSANDS OF WOMEN

ALL OVER THIS COUNTRY
AND ALL OVER THE WORLD

WHO HAPPEN TO LIKE THINGS
THEY'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO LIKE.

AND THE DAY HAS COME
WHEN WE, YOU KNOW,

WE'RE GONNA LIKE 'EM,
WE'RE GONNA DO 'EM.

WE'RE GONNA TAKE OUR FREEDOM
BY ANY MEANS NECESSARY.

- I THINK THE WOMEN'S
MOVEMENT PROVIDED A SAFE HAVEN

FOR A LOT OF WOMEN WHO WERE
STRUGGLING WITH THEIR SEXUALITY

AND MIGHT NOT HAVE
EVEN KNOWN THEY WERE

STRUGGLING WITH
THEIR SEXUALITY.

- I DIDN'T STAY HOME
AND COOK AND HAVE BABIES

AND MARRY A MAN,

AND DIDN'T IDENTIFY IN
PARTICULAR WITH PEOPLE WHO DID.

- THEY KNEW THAT THERE WAS
SOMETHING DIFFERENT ABOUT THEM,

AND THEY DIDN'T QUITE
FIT OUT THERE

IN THAT HETEROSEXUAL WORLD.

AND SO THEY CAME IN--
LIKE I DID,

CAME INTO THE
WOMEN'S MOVEMENT.

PART OF ME CAME BECAUSE
THE POLITICS SOUNDED RIGHT,

BUT THERE WAS A SECRET
LITTLE PART THAT SAID,

"MAYBE I'LL FIND
A WOMAN TO LOVE."

AND I THINK THAT HAPPENED
FOR A LOT OF WOMEN.

I KNOW THAT MANY LESBIANS WERE
THE EARLY BEGINNINGS OF N.O.W.

AND N.O.W.
WAS THE WOMEN'S MOVEMENT THEN.

I MEAN, THAT WAS IT.
THERE WAS NOTHING ELSE.

AND YES, THE LESBIANS
WERE IN THE FOREFRONT

OF THE VERY BEGINNING
OF N.O.W.

AND STILL ARE,
EXCEPT NOBODY KNOWS IT.

- WHEN THE HIPPIES CAME ALONG,
IT WAS A REAL LIBERATING THING.

'CAUSE THEY STARTED WEARING
WHATEVER THEY WANTED TO,

AND THEN THAT MADE GAY PEOPLE
FEEL FREER TO DO LIKEWISE.

- THE FLOWER CHILDREN
CAME ALONG IN 1967

AND TURNED
INTO THE HIPPIE MOVEMENT.

AND IN ONE GIVEN DAY,
BOUFFANT HAIRSTYLES WENT OUT

AND EVERYONE WAS
IRONING THEIR HAIR.

I MEAN, IT WAS BOOM, BOOM.

- ROLE-PLAYING
WAS NOT AS OBVIOUS.

IT WASN'T IMPORTANT.

EVERYBODY WAS JUST SORT OF
TURNING INTO BEING A GUY.

I THINK ONE OF
THE THINGS I REALIZED,

IN ORDER FOR ME
TO BE A HOMOSEXUAL,

IT DIDN'T MEAN THAT I
WAS WOMAN'S REPLACEMENT.

IT DIDN'T MEAN THAT
I HAD TO BE FEMME.

IT JUST MEANT THAT I WAS
A GUY WHO LIKED GUYS.

- THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN,

"TIME" MAGAZINE COMES OUT
WITH THIS ARTICLE.

"SAN FRANCISCO,
THE CITY OF LOVE.

THERE'S FREE LOVE
ON THE STREETS."

- * DON'T YOU WANT
SOMEBODY TO LOVE *

* DON'T YOU NEED SOMEBODY
TO LOVE *

* WON'T YOU LOVE
SOMEBODY TO LOVE *

* YOU BETTER
FIND SOMEBODY TO LOVE *

- YEAH, IT WAS A FASCINATING
PERIOD, ACTUALLY.

THERE WAS AN ORGANIZATION

CALLED THE "PSYCHEDELIC VENUS
CHURCH" IN BERKELEY,

WHICH WAS A GAY CHURCH.

AND THAT ORGANIZATION USED TO
CO-SPONSOR PARTIES IN THE CITY.

AND THEY WERE ORGIES, BASICALLY.

YOU WOULD WALK IN, AND YOU
COULD TAKE YOUR CLOTHES OFF,

KIND OF PUT THEM IN A BAG.

THERE'D BE WINE.

PEOPLE WOULD BRING THEIR
GRASS IN AND WHAT HAVE YOU.

VERY, VERY NEW SCENE.

CERTAINLY NEW TO ME,
AND QUITE FASCINATING.

- THE REVOLUTION
IN THIS COUNTRY

IS IN FACT PEOPLE COMING FORTH
TO DEMAND FREEDOM.

- THE LATTER
PART OF THE '60s,

IN GRADUALLY
ESCALATING FASHION,

WERE A PERIOD
OF ENORMOUS FERMENT.

all: * ALL WE ARE SAYING

* DROOL ON THE WAR

NOW!

- IT WAS A PERIOD OF
ENORMOUS SOCIAL TURMOIL,

WHICH HAD ITS IMPACT,
OF COURSE, ON GAYS AS WELL.

WE WERE LIVING IN
THE LARGER SOCIETY.

all: * ALL WE ARE SAYING

- IN THE BLACK COMMUNITY,
IT WAS REALLY BAD,

BECAUSE ALMOST EVERY TIME YOU
WOULD WALK OUT OF THE HOUSE,

YOU WERE BEING STOPPED.

I REALLY THINK THAT
IT WAS THE YOUNG GAYS

THAT WERE PUTTING UP
THE BIGGEST FIGHT.

AND IT WAS SORT OF LIKE, "WELL,
I GUESS IT'S OKAY TO FIGHT."

- * WE'RE ALL OUTLAWS
IN THE EYES OF AMERICA *

* IN ORDER TO SURVIVE,
WE STEAL AND CHEAT *

* LIE, FORGE, FUCK,
HIDE AND DEAL *

* WE ARE OBSCENE,
LAWLESS, HIDEOUS *

* DANGEROUS, DIRTY, VIOLENT

* AND YOUNG

* WE SHOULD BE TOGETHER

* COME ON, ALL YOU PEOPLE
STANDING AROUND *

- THERE WAS A VERY VOLATILE,
ACTIVE POLITICAL FEELING,

ESPECIALLY AMONG
YOUNG PEOPLE.

AND OF COURSE WHEN THE NIGHT OF
THE STONEWALL RIOTS CAME ALONG,

JUST EVERYTHING CAME
TOGETHER AT THAT ONE MOMENT.

PEOPLE QUITE OFTEN ASK,
"WELL, WHAT WAS SPECIAL

ABOUT THAT NIGHT,
FRIDAY, JUNE 27, 1969?"

THERE WAS NO ONE THING
THAT WAS SPECIAL ABOUT IT.

IT WAS JUST EVERYTHING
COMING TOGETHER.

ONE OF THOSE MOMENTS
IN HISTORY WHERE,

IF YOU WERE THERE,
YOU JUST KNEW, THIS IS IT.

THIS IS WHAT WE'VE
BEEN WAITING FOR.

- THEY DECIDED, YOU KNOW,

"WE'VE HAD ENOUGH
OF THIS KIND OF THING.

WE'RE GONNA FIGHT BACK."

THE PATRONS, INSTEAD
OF TIMIDLY TAKING IT,

THEY ACTUALLY HURLED
ROCKS AND BOTTLES

RIGHT BACK AT THE POLICE.

AND THE RIOTING WENT ON
FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS.

- IT SAID "STONEWALL,"

COMING ALL THE WAY UP AND DOWN,
AND "INN" ACROSS THE BOTTOM.

- WELL, THE NEXT
FEW NIGHTS, REALLY,

WERE A REPETITION
OF THE RIOTING.

- ALL OF A SUDDEN,
A LOT OF GAY PEOPLE WOULD APPEAR

ON THE STREETS
IN THIS WHOLE AREA,

NOT JUST IN FRONT
OF THE STONEWALL.

- FIRE ALARM
BOXES WERE PULLED.

TRASH CANS WERE SET ON FIRE.

- SO THERE WAS A CHANT OF
"GAY POWER," I REMEMBER THAT.

- AND THEY FELT
THE INJUSTICE.

AND IT WAS THAT
EXPRESSION OF FEELING

THAT RADIATED
ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

- IT GAVE ME THE COURAGE
TO ALSO COME OUT AND SAY,

"NO MORE" AS FAR AS
MY WORK WAS CONCERNED,

AS FAR AS MY PRIVATE
LIFE IS CONCERNED.

AND THAT'S WHEN I REALLY
BECAME A GAY ACTIVIST.

AND IT WAS HELPED
BY THAT MOVEMENT.

THE SPIRIT OF THAT MOVEMENT
CARRIED ALL THE WAY OUT

TO THE WEST COAST,
WOULDN'T YOU AGREE, MORRIS?

- YES, BY ALL MEANS.
- YES, YES.

*I'M GAY AND I'M PROUD,
I'LL SING IT ALOUD *

* I'M NOT AFRAID
TO BE ME ANYMORE *

* TELL YOUR SISTER,
TELL YOUR BROTHER *

* IT'S OKAY
TO LOVE ONE ANOTHER *

*SING IT ALOUD,
I'M GAY AND I'M PROUD *

- THE TIDE REALLY TURNED
AT THE TIME OF STONEWALL.

A LARGE NUMBER OF GAY PEOPLE
WHO HAD NOT KNOWN

ABOUT THE MOVEMENT BEFORE
HEARD ABOUT IT AND SAID,

"I'M GOING TO JOIN THIS,

OR I'M GOING TO START
SOMETHING OF MY OWN."

* OH, I'M NOT AFRAID TO BE ME *

* TELL YOUR SISTER,
TELL YOUR BROTHER *

* IT'S OKAY TO LOVE
ONE ANOTHER *

* SING IT ALOUD,
I'M GAY AND I'M PROUD *

- BY JOINING
AND UNITING ALL OF US,

WE HAVE REALLY GAINED POWER.

AND EVEN IN SMALL
COMMUNITIES,

WHETHER IT'S
KALAMAZOO OR TIMBUKTU,

OUR VOICES ARE HEARD THERE.

AND FROM THE TIME
OF STONEHENGE TO STONEWALL,

THIS HAS BEEN THE STRUGGLE,
AND WE'RE WINNING.

- "BEFORE STONEWALL"
AND "AFTER STONEWALL,"

TWO FILMS ABOUT GAY
AND LESBIAN LIFE IN AMERICA,

ARE NOW AVAILABLE
ON HOME VIDEO.

CALL:

* IF YOUR DISPOSITION'S GAY *

* BE MIGHTY GLAD
YOU'RE MADE THAT WAY *

* DON'T FROWN 'CAUSE
YOUR WORLD'S UPSIDE DOWN *

* WHY SHOULD YOU BE
THOUGHT A FOOL *

*FOR NOT CONFORMING
TO THE RULE *

* IT HAS ITS ADVANTAGES,
I'VE FOUND *

* NOW, THE LADIES
ARE THE FAIREST SEX *

* AS EVERYBODY KNOWS

* THEIR CHARMS
ARE EMPHASIZED IN ADS *

*AND EVEN MOVING
PICTURE SHOWS *

*I CAN'T CONVINCE THE FELLOWS
I'M NOT DAFFY IN THE HEAD *

* 'CAUSE I'M SAVING
ALL MY KISSES *

*FOR THE LITTLE
GIRLS INSTEAD *

*MAMA NATURE PLAYED IT SMART *

*WHEN SHE TIED A STRING
AROUND MY HEART *

- FUNDING FOR THIS PROGRAM
WAS PROVIDED BY:

AND BY ANNUAL FINANCIAL SUPPORT
FROM VIEWERS LIKE YOU,

WITH ADDITIONAL
SUPPORT PROVIDED BY: