adjusted than almost anyone else I know. Present company excepted, of course.”
“Hmm. By the way, Guy, do you know that man over there? He’s been staring at us for the past five minutes.”
“Probably looking at your legs.” She was wearing short-shorts, and her legs were crossed up high as she ate. I turned around and for a moment didn’t recognize the man sitting two tables away. But just as he smiled, I realized it was Professor Golden.
“I’m sorry to disturb you,” he said. “I was trying to recall if you were in one of my classes.”
“Uh, no. My name is Guy Willard, and I dropped in on your Art History lecture the other day.”
“Oh yes. I remember you now. I invited you to my independent studies group.”
“This my girlfriend,” I said rather hurriedly, “Christine.”
“Hello, Christine.”
“Hi. What sort of independent studies group is it?”
“About gay studies. I plan to discuss the history of the gay movement and its broader impact upon American society. You’re both welcome to attend if you’re interested.”
“Even though we’re not gay?” she said.
“Of course. Straight people needn’t be afraid. I won’t bite you.”
We all laughed, but I got the impression he was smiling at my nervousness.
“Actually, it sounds very interesting,” said Christine. “I’m a psychology major, and homosexuality is one of the things which fascinates me.” I knew she was telling the truth. Christine’s attitude towards homosexuality was rather enlightened; she was as intrigued by it as she was by most things sexual.
“I don’t wish to be pedantic,” said Golden, “but there is a difference between ‘gay’ and ‘homosexual.’”
“Oh?”
“Why don’t you join me here at my table. That way I won’t have to raise my voice.”
“Sure.” Christine and I picked up our things and shifted over to Golden’s table.
“What is the difference between ‘gay’ and ‘homosexual?’” asked Christine as soon as we were settled.
Golden seemed pleased by her interest. I sensed that the teacher in him responded instinctively to an appreciative audience. “Well, homosexuality is an activity—two people of the same sex having, well, sex. You don’t have to be gay to indulge in a homosexual act. A straight man or woman who has sex with a person of the same gender falls into this category. ‘Gay,’ on the other hand, is a lifestyle, a philosophy, even a world-view. Naturally, gay people indulge in homosexual acts of various kinds—they prefer it. But even they don’t always limit their sex to homosexual couplings.”
“I’m a little confused,” said Christine.
“Let me explain. Homosexuality has always been around; it has existed since the beginning of documented history. And we have all kinds of other evidence that it was around in one form or another in almost every culture known to scholars. So we have to assume that homosexuality is a universal phenomenon. Anywhere you have a sizeable population of people, there will be men (a minority, to be sure) who are sexually attracted to other men. And depending on the society, there are various degrees of acceptability.”
“All right. I’m with you so far. I know that it’s simplistic to pigeonhole people as gay or straight when there are so many people who have indulged in some sort of homosexual activity even if it’s not their primary inclination. And there are so many people who are not even sure of their own primary sexual orientation.”
“What you say is true. Now, a gay man is one who gets his greatest sexual pleasure from sex with another man. He might not always know that he is gay; after all, if he’s never experienced sex with a man, how can he tell? Such people sometimes sublimate their desire for men by fantasizing about it while never actually consummating it. But even among those who do get their greatest pleasures through sex with other men, there are many who hide their true nature by keeping it
“Hmm. By the way, Guy, do you know that man over there? He’s been staring at us for the past five minutes.”
“Probably looking at your legs.” She was wearing short-shorts, and her legs were crossed up high as she ate. I turned around and for a moment didn’t recognize the man sitting two tables away. But just as he smiled, I realized it was Professor Golden.
“I’m sorry to disturb you,” he said. “I was trying to recall if you were in one of my classes.”
“Uh, no. My name is Guy Willard, and I dropped in on your Art History lecture the other day.”
“Oh yes. I remember you now. I invited you to my independent studies group.”
“This my girlfriend,” I said rather hurriedly, “Christine.”
“Hello, Christine.”
“Hi. What sort of independent studies group is it?”
“About gay studies. I plan to discuss the history of the gay movement and its broader impact upon American society. You’re both welcome to attend if you’re interested.”
“Even though we’re not gay?” she said.
“Of course. Straight people needn’t be afraid. I won’t bite you.”
We all laughed, but I got the impression he was smiling at my nervousness.
“Actually, it sounds very interesting,” said Christine. “I’m a psychology major, and homosexuality is one of the things which fascinates me.” I knew she was telling the truth. Christine’s attitude towards homosexuality was rather enlightened; she was as intrigued by it as she was by most things sexual.
“I don’t wish to be pedantic,” said Golden, “but there is a difference between ‘gay’ and ‘homosexual.’”
“Oh?”
“Why don’t you join me here at my table. That way I won’t have to raise my voice.”
“Sure.” Christine and I picked up our things and shifted over to Golden’s table.
“What is the difference between ‘gay’ and ‘homosexual?’” asked Christine as soon as we were settled.
Golden seemed pleased by her interest. I sensed that the teacher in him responded instinctively to an appreciative audience. “Well, homosexuality is an activity—two people of the same sex having, well, sex. You don’t have to be gay to indulge in a homosexual act. A straight man or woman who has sex with a person of the same gender falls into this category. ‘Gay,’ on the other hand, is a lifestyle, a philosophy, even a world-view. Naturally, gay people indulge in homosexual acts of various kinds—they prefer it. But even they don’t always limit their sex to homosexual couplings.”
“I’m a little confused,” said Christine.
“Let me explain. Homosexuality has always been around; it has existed since the beginning of documented history. And we have all kinds of other evidence that it was around in one form or another in almost every culture known to scholars. So we have to assume that homosexuality is a universal phenomenon. Anywhere you have a sizeable population of people, there will be men (a minority, to be sure) who are sexually attracted to other men. And depending on the society, there are various degrees of acceptability.”
“All right. I’m with you so far. I know that it’s simplistic to pigeonhole people as gay or straight when there are so many people who have indulged in some sort of homosexual activity even if it’s not their primary inclination. And there are so many people who are not even sure of their own primary sexual orientation.”
“What you say is true. Now, a gay man is one who gets his greatest sexual pleasure from sex with another man. He might not always know that he is gay; after all, if he’s never experienced sex with a man, how can he tell? Such people sometimes sublimate their desire for men by fantasizing about it while never actually consummating it. But even among those who do get their greatest pleasures through sex with other men, there are many who hide their true nature by keeping it
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