| THE EARLY YEARS | | | | its 11 long-term regular patrons who cashed |
| | | | their every paycheck there paid his way |
| Fortunately for all Americans the 1960's, | | | | through law school. He admitted that over two |
| 70's and then 80's led first to greater | | | | dozen such "regulars" were openly feted at |
| sexual freedom and liberation - and then to | | | | all major holidays and their every birthday |
| greater sexual honesty. The internet boom of | | | | to keep them as "regulars". |
| the last decade solidified those gains to the | | | | |
| extent that there can likely never really be | | | | Even to this day - the GAY PARADIGM - the GAY |
| a return to the sexual "dark ages". | | | | COMMUNITY is still trying to shirk this "seek |
| | | | but do not find" rigid pattern. Unlike many |
| THE GAYS & THE "THREE B's" | | | | happy bisexuals - gays and even many |
| | | | Lesbians - are still under this spell - |
| Gays and Lesbians had historically lived | | | | notwithstanding that even the major gay mecca |
| prior to the Stonewall Riots lives of quiet | | | | cities San Francisco and New York closed the |
| desperation "in the closet" facing overt | | | | gay baths - gay bars are half in number or |
| hostility and repression every day of their | | | | half full today -yet the adult bookstores - |
| lives. | | | | and videos - and pornographers are richer |
| | | | than ever - harvesting a new crop of young |
| After the STONEWALL RIOTS - our gay and | | | | twinks and studs for their 15 minutes of fame |
| lesbian brothers and sisters overall marched | | | | every season of every year until the end of |
| straight out of their closets and eventually | | | | time. The internet has been a major boon to |
| right down MAIN STREET or FIFTH AVENUE or | | | | pornography and pornography sales worldwide |
| MARKET STREET or SANTA MONICA BOULEVARD in | | | | especially in the gay "beefcake" market. |
| their festive PRIDE PARADES across North | | | | |
| America and now across the world. Many gays | | | | THE THREE B'S REPLACED BY MAJOR MERCHANTS OF |
| and to a lesser extent Lesbians want to be | | | | GREED |
| open about their sexual orientation - while | | | | |
| this is NOT the case with most bisexuals - | | | | Things - largely due to AIDS as well as |
| especially happy bisexuals. | | | | long-term maturing gay and lesbian community |
| | | | - have changed and are changing - but the |
| Soon across America there were dozens of | | | | change from the "3 B's" holding the community |
| openly gay bars, adult bookstores, and | | | | in its thrall has morphed into gross and |
| bathhouses in every major North American | | | | crass materialism as soon as the major |
| city. Gay Community Centers sprouted in most | | | | marketing gurus found the Gay and Lesbian |
| every major North American city - save San | | | | NICHE of affluent consumers with huge |
| Francisco - where until recently the | | | | discretionary spending who were eager to |
| community was so fractious they could not | | | | "Seek and Find" and then "Seek and Find" |
| even open such a center! Gay Community | | | | again - consumer goods and luxury travel and |
| Centers with time became Gay and Lesbian | | | | the like. |
| Centers - then GLBT Centers and soon to be | | | | |
| GLBT and P - polyamory - and Q centers - | | | | NOW the vast majority of the FORTUNE 500 |
| Queer. | | | | companies market to the Gay and Lesbian |
| | | | Community noting in their marketing circles |
| Maybe one fine day even the new, trendy | | | | that the Gay and Lesbian market is one of the |
| METROSEXUALS will join the sexual minorities | | | | larger and more affluent segments of today's |
| to party and to parade! | | | | marketplace. Gays and Lesbians who were |
| | | | already as average American consumers easy |
| The GAY PARADIGM - which emerged as a result | | | | prey for materialism and consumerism were |
| of this desire for being OPEN - was often | | | | even more easily influenced when buying this |
| confrontational to the larger straight | | | | and that product led to acceptance by this or |
| community with a certain "WE'RE QUEER and | | | | that major corporate icon, this or that major |
| WE'RE HERE!" element in far too many areas of | | | | world conglomerate - tied with greater status |
| America. In the gay era before AIDS the fact | | | | and greater rank in one's millieu. |
| of life was that the gay community was | | | | |
| hijacked by the THREE B'S who made a killing | | | | HERE COME THE ALTERNATIVES: |
| - and also ultimately killed off thousands if | | | | |
| not millions of gays. They are the BARS, the | | | | Finally, after this gay party and Pride |
| BATHS, and the BOOKSTORES. Their agenda was | | | | parade - then gay + Lesbian party and parade |
| to make FILTHY LUCRE and they did so | | | | - was far along - here come some welcome |
| rapaciously for years and years. Gay | | | | alternatives. The Metropolitian Community |
| communities in these early years - including | | | | Church has been with us for decades and has |
| their activists and journalists became | | | | sought to help fill the spiritual hunger of |
| dependent on these deep pockets but they too | | | | many gays and lesbians who want to find that |
| were all too often caught in the thrall of | | | | solace and inner peace in a gay and Lesbian |
| the 3 B's AGENDA - even hidden agenda of SEEK | | | | religious setting. |
| BUT DO NOT FIND. | | | | |
| | | | Many mainstream Christian churches have |
| Even today the "beau ideal" of the American | | | | embraced the gay and lesbian community in |
| gay community is some twenty-something twink | | | | many outreach programs as the Churchof Christ |
| or hunk or military type - portrayed again | | | | and the Unitarian/Universalists and the gay |
| and again for decades endlessly and all but | | | | and lesbian support groups and organizations |
| mindlessly. This beau ideal type can never be | | | | within their home churches as Dignity, |
| snared and brought home to one's bed - save | | | | Integritry, and the Brethern and the like. |
| at a hefty price (escorts and models or | | | | Islam offered up "Gay Muslim" groups and |
| trade) - much less to one's life and family! | | | | there are many GLBT groups for Jews, |
| Billions have been and will continue to be | | | | Buddhists, and other faiths. |
| made on the backs and knees of these 18 to 25 | | | | |
| year olds who are then cast off for next | | | | Many gay and lesbians have also explored |
| year's "model". Nothing is sadder than | | | | alternatives to organized religions with New |
| meeting a middle-aged towel boy at a gay bath | | | | Age thinking, yoga, Scientology and other |
| or spa or a broken down bartender at some gay | | | | stops on that long travelled road the |
| bar who openly laments that he was once | | | | American pursuit of happiness trail. |
| "somebody" in the gay limelight years ago. | | | | |
| | | | Microcosm vs. Macrocosm: |
| The NOT so secret moneymaking agenda of the | | | | |
| POWERS THAT BE in the gay community - the 3 | | | | Maybe gays and lesbians just finally caught |
| B's and their legion of co- conspirators was | | | | up with the mainstream of American life - |
| "SEEK BUT DO NOT FIND". Gay men HAD to go out | | | | gross, crass materialism being catered to |
| as often as possible to the bars, the baths | | | | and cajoled into more and more consumer |
| or the bookstores - as they might be missing | | | | spending and more and more consumer debt to |
| out on something or someone. Even if they | | | | "Seek and Find" and then continually in yet |
| found someone it was and is all too often a | | | | more and more rounds of self-indulgence and |
| one-night stand if not a 15 minute standup. | | | | over-indulgence to "Seek and Find" again and |
| One gay friend recently admitted to me he had | | | | again. Sadly there is no "silver bullet" for |
| not had horizontal gay sex since the AIDS | | | | the Gay and Lesbian community nor American |
| epidemic was full-blown (i.e. two decades). | | | | society as a whole. When and where will we |
| While many gay men do find long-term | | | | all find something more valuable, reliable |
| committed relationships - as the new Gay | | | | and relevant - than buy, buy, buy and more, |
| Episcopal Bishop of New Hampshire - far too | | | | more, more? When? |
| many will regale you with Elizabeth | | | | |
| Taylor-esque tales of their 13 husbands and | | | | Best Wishes & Big Hugs, |
| numerous affairs - few lasting more than a | | | | |
| season or two. BUT - the 3 B's want gays "to | | | | Stewart ("Mac") McCloud |
| seek but do not find" - to be good consumers | | | | |
| - good customers! I attended University of | | | | Founder & President |
| California's Hastings College of the Law in | | | | |
| San Francisco in the early 70's and one | | | | The Bi MEN NETWORK |
| openly notorious homosexual law student | | | | |
| openly proclaimed that his small gay bar and | | | | 250,000+ Men with us! |