The Gay Reality

Jo Anna Walker’s tepid “defense” (she claims she does not have an anti-homosexual bias) exposes just how biased she is (Calendar Letters, Aug. 7). She assumes that books which chronicle the homosexual affairs of Cary Grant or Errol Flynn are “icon-smashing.”

Only to her. In her dream-world no major stars are (or should be) homosexual.

She must now learn a lesson that all of us who are gay have had to learn: You can’t live a lie forever. Her dream-world is subject to the same rules of truth that mine is. No matter how hard you close your eyes and wish away reality when (or if) you ever open your eyes, there it is. Yes, it’s true: Hollywood is not 100% straight. There are gay stars, just like there are gay athletes (sorry to disappoint, ma’am), judges, politicians and writers.

The cruel irony of her bias is that it rewards people who are gay (Rock Hudson, say) for participating in the lie, and perpetuating it. Some of us have decided not to play along anymore.

Rock Hudson, Cary Grant, et al., are not icons because they are straight , they are icons because they are good. Being gay has nothing to do with that.

And if it wasn’t for the prejudice she and others like her hold so dear and deny so innocently (such as Daily Variety--see Outtakes, July 17), gays could live their lives openly and (like straight people) take public pride in their relationships. Instead they are criticized and punished for honesty.

Hudson and Grant, and others are expected to accommodate the fantasies of people like Walker (and Variety), in exchange for the considerable returns of fame. Fame shouldn’t cost you your identity. But Walker is apparently willing to pay any price to keep the truth at bay.

And if Cary Grant and Rock Hudson have been smashed as icons, it is not because they were gay; it is because they accepted the terms of Hollywood’s extortion.

DAVID LINK

Los Angeles