2018-01-19

“I’m tired of hearing it said that democracy doesn’t work. Of course it doesn’t work. We are supposed to work it.” – Alexander Woollcott

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Gay Wisdom – Today in Gay History

Born

1726 -

The man who might have been the first gay king of America was born in Berlin on this date. PRINCE HEINRICH OF PRUSSIA was the brother of Frederick the Great who tried to have him made King of America. The fledgling U.S. even considered it during the period ruling the Article of Confederation, but, by the time the fickle prince agreed, the equally fickle American public had opted for the Constitution and a republic. And now Donald Trump.

1867 -

Félix Rubén García Sarmiento (d: 1916), known as RUBÉN DARÍO was born on this date. A Nicaraguan poet, Darío has had a great and lasting influence on 20th-century Spanish literature and journalism. He has been praised as the "Prince of Castilian Letters" and undisputed father of the modernismo literary movement.

In 2012, Arizona State University Libraries acquired a privately-held collection of manuscripts created by Nicaraguan poet Rubén Darío.

The comprehensive collection contains hundreds of pages of Darío’s poetry and other creative works. Several of the manuscripts are signed transcripts, written in Darío’s hand, of some of his most important works including “Coloquio de los Centauros,” two versions of “Los motivos del lobo” and “Canto épico a las glorias de Chile,” a manuscript of 76 pages, which was one of Darío’s first long poems.

The documents have already begun to alter the scholarship on Darío. The peer-reviewed “Bulletin of Spanish Studies,” a prestigious academic journal from the United Kingdom, has published an article by Professor Acereda in its August 2012 issue based on letters found in ASU’s collection. The article, “‘Nuestro más profundo y sublime secreto’: Los amores transgresores entre Rubén Darío y Amado Nervo,” (“Our Most Profound and Sublime Secret: The Transgressive Love of Ruben Dario and Amado Nervo”) reveals for the first time a secret romantic relationship between Darío and famed Mexican poet Amado Nervo (1870-1919.)

“The exact nature of this relationship is evidenced in a series of intimate letters exchanged between the two poets and they help us to better understand the respective works of these modernist authors, as well as to establish a rereading of certain texts,” Acereda said.

David W. Foster, Regents' Professor of Spanish and Women and Gender Studies at ASU, noted that “the acquisition of such a collection, which has the possibility of suggesting a major revision in our understanding of Rubén Darío’s sexuality, is only possible through the efforts of outstanding senior faculty like Acereda, who have the advanced (and often anonymous) contacts necessary for such material to become part of ASU’s superb research collections.”

1904 -

CARY GRANT was born in Bristol, England on this date. Famous for his roles in such film classics as Philadelphia Story, North By Northwest, To Catch A Thief, Bringing Up Baby and Notorious to name just a very few) he was rumored throughout his time in Hollywood to be either gay or bisexual.

The evidence is varied and plentiful. He shared a home with the actor Randolph Scott for more than twelve years. Rumors ran rampant at the time that Grant and Scott were lovers. In 1957, Grant's English chauffeur claimed to have been in a sexual relationship with Grant. Grant immediately filed a lawsuit against him. The driver attempted suicide. In their biographies of Grant, Marc Eliot, Charles Higham and Roy Moseley contend that Grant was bisexual. Higham and Moseley claim that Grant and Scott were seen kissing in a public car-park outside a social function both attended in the 1960s. In his book, Hollywood Gays, Boze Hadleigh cites an interview with homosexual director George Cukor, who commented on the alleged homosexual relationship between Scott and Grant: "Oh, Cary won't talk about it. At most, he'll say they did some wonderful pictures together. But Randolph will admit it – to a friend."

In his memoir, the Oscar winning screenwriter Arthur Laurents indicated that Grant was bisexual, saying: Grant "told me he threw pebbles at my window one night but was luckless – I wasn't home. ... his eyes and his smile implied that ... he would have liked doing what we would have done had I been home. William J. Mann's book Behind the Screen: How Gays and Lesbians Shaped Hollywood, 1910-1969 recounts how photographer Jerome Zerbe spent "three gay months" in the movie colony taking many photographs of Grant and Scott, "attesting to their involvement in the gay scene." Zerbe says that he often stayed with the two actors, "finding them both warm, charming, and happy.

1913 -

On this date the actor, singer, comedian, and humanitarian DANNY KAYE was born in Brooklyn, New York. Famous for his roles in such film classics as The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (1947), Hans Christian Andersen (1952), and White Christmas (1954), in the 1950s he was in a 10 year long relationship with Lawrence Olivier. Although many of his biographers have attempted to refute the claim, Olivier's widow, Joan Plowright has confirmed it, stating, "I have always resented the comments that it was I who was the homewrecker of Larry's marriage to Vivien Leigh. Danny Kaye was attached to Larry far earlier than I."

1938 -

REV. JAMES LEWIS STOLL, M.Div.a Unitarian Universalist minister, born (d: 1994). Stoll was the first ordained minister of any religion in the United States or Canada to come out as gay. He did so at the annual Continental Conference of Student Religious Liberals on September 5, 1969 in La Foret, Colorado.

Born in 1936 in Connecticut, he was educated at San Francisco State University and the Starr King School for the Ministry in Berkeley, CA. In the words of his friend, Leland Bond-upson, Mr. Stoll took a flat in the Eureka Valley neighborhood in San Francisco with three other friends. In September 1969, Mr. Stoll went to the La Foret Conference Center in Colorado Springs to attend a convention of about 100 college-age Unitarians. On the second or third night of the conference, Stoll got up to speak. He told the assembly that he’d been doing a lot of hard thinking that summer and that he could no longer live a lie.

He had been hiding his true nature—from everyone except his closest friends. “If the revolution we are in means anything, it means we have the right to be ourselves, without shame or fear.” And then he told the group he was gay, and it wasn’t a choice, and he wasn’t ashamed anymore and he wasn’t going to hide it anymore. From now on he was going to be himself in public.

He led the effort that convinced the Unitarian Universalist Association to pass the first-ever gay rights resolution in 1970. He founded the first counseling center for gays and lesbians in San Francisco. In the 1970s he established the first hospice on Maui. He was president of the San Francisco chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union in the 1990's. He died at the age of 58 from complications of heart and lung disease, exacerbated by obesity and a life-long smoking habit.

1940 -

The bisexual English novelist, archaeologist and travel writer BRUCE CHATWIN was born in Sheffield England. Chatwin's book include the travelogue In Patagonia (1977), The Viceroy of Ouidah (1980), on the slave trade in Benin, For The Songlines, on the power of Australian aboriginal music and On the Black Hill a novel on the relationship of twin brothers in Wales.

In the late 1980s, Chatwin contracted AIDS. He was one of the first high-profile sufferers of the disease in Britain and although he hid the illness - passing off his symptoms as fungal infections or the effects of the bite of a Chinese bat, a typically exotic cover story - it was a poorly kept secret. He did not respond well to AZT, and suffered increasing bouts of psychosis which included extravagant shopping trips around the auction rooms of London - many of which purchases his wife quietly returned.

With his condition deteriorating rapidly, Chatwin and his wife went to live in the South of France at the house that belonged to the mother of his one-time lover, the designer Jasper Conran. Chatwin died in Nice in 1989 at age 48.

The novelist Paul Theroux, Chatwin's one-time friend and fellow-writer, later commented on the memorial service in a piece he wrote for Granta, condemning Chatwin for failing to acknowledge that the disease he was dying of was AIDS. Lovers of the little black moleskin journals have undoubtedly read the story of Chatwin's popularizing of the books. The story goes that when the small bookmaker in Paris was going out of business, Chatwin bought out all of their stock to use on his travels.

1941 -

Pierre Clermont, better known by his ring name PAT PATTERSON, is a Canadian former wrestler born on this date. He works for WWE as a "creative" consultant. He was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 1996. He is credited by WWE as the first Intercontinental Champion.

Pat Patterson debuted in Montreal, Quebec in 1958 as "Pretty Boy" Pat Patterson, an effeminate wrestler who wore red lipstick and pink trunks and was accompanied by his pet poodle. Patterson wrestled frequently for affiliates of the National Wrestling Alliance throughout the 1960s, and was a ten time tag team champion in San Francisco with a variety of partners. His most famous pairing was with Ray Stevens, the two of them forming the heel tag team, the Blond Bombers. Also, in San Francisco, Patterson was a six-time United States Champion.

In 1970 and 1971, Patterson wore a mask during his matches, and would cheat by placing a foreign object under the mask to add power to his head butts. In 1972, Patterson turned baby-face, after feuding with Lars Anderson, who was managed by Dr. Ken Ramey. Later that year he teamed with Rocky Johnson and won the tag team championship. In 1975 and 1981, Patterson won the Cow Palace Battle Royal in San Francisco. In 1992, Patterson was accused of sexual harassment by former ring announcer Murray Hodgson. He was released from the company until the charges were dropped, when he was promptly rehired.

Patterson came out in 2008. He had been in the closet for over 50 years. His life partner, now deceased, Louis Dondero was on payroll with WWF for a while as a "counselor."

1973 -

The Chilean journalist JUAN MANUEL ASTORGA was born today. Astorga is a major media personality having hosted radio, television and cable shows in his long and storied career.

In 2008, Astorga gave an interview to Caras magazine, which published its homosexuality . He chose to disclose his sexuality before he was outed by an attorney who was a member of the Fascist-connected Catholic order Opus Dei. The attorney attempted to extort money from Astorga by threatening to out him. Astorga beat him to the punch.

The Movement for Homosexual Integration and Liberation of Chile supported Astorga and condemned this kind of blackmail.

Died

1975 -

American poet, librettist and translator CHESTER KALLMAN died on this date (b. 1921) He is best known for his collaborations with W.H. Auden and Igor Stravinsky. Kallman studied at Brooklyn college and at the University of Michigan. In the 1950's he and the poet Harold Norse attended a reading given by W.H. Auden and Christopher Isherwood. The two had plans to seduce the British writers. Kallman and Auden hit it off. They stayed together for thirty-five years. Although at times a tempestous relationship, they were steadfast to one another to the end.

Noteworthy

1993 -

On this date the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday was officially designated and is now observed in all 50 United States. It would have happened sooner but Arizona being Arizona resisted the celebration.

2009 -

On this date the RIGHT REVEREND GENE ROBINSON, the bishop of New Hampshire, and the first openly gay bishop of any denomination opened the inaugural festivities of Barack Obama's presidency when he gave the opening prayer at the Lincoln Monument. HBO, which had paid for exclusive rights to the event did not broadcast Bishop Robinson's prayer. So those watching the event live or later in replay would never have known it had occurred. Curiously, National Public Radio chose not to air the prayer live either. Of course in light of recent political developments this seems like small potatoes. But it was an issue at the time.

There was no record of Bishop Robinson or his prayer in images placed on the sites of Getty Images, the New York Times and the Washington Post. Very curious indeed.

After some lame excuses HBO later aired a complete version of the afternoon's proceedings with Bishop Robinson's prayer included. No good excuse was ever given by the inaugural committee. On an added note the Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington also performed at the event but there was no chyron to identify the group performing (perhaps to not upset any viewers out there). A disappointing day of sorts.

In April 2009, Robinson made the OUT magazine Third Annual Power 50 list of the most influential gay men and women in the USA, landing at number 7.

In August 2009, Gene Robinson was a key speaker at the 2009 Greenbelt Festival, held in Gloucestershire, England. Here he delivered three talks, each garnering an attendance in the thousands, based not only on his views of Christianity and homosexuality, but also on human sexuality in general and the rights of LGBT members of society. The three talks were entitled "Homosexuality: What the Bible Says & Why It Matters", "Keeping your cool in the eye of the storm" and "Sexuality and spirituality: keeping them together". As well as these three talks, Gene Robinson made a big impact on some gay and lesbian festival-goers by leading them collectively in prayer on the second night of the festival as part of a small group. Robinson has retired and his latest book God Believes in Love: Straight Talk about Gay Marriage.

2010 -

Undercover cops are working Dubai's chat rooms to bust gay men for trying to hookup online. The National reports that one 22 year old man is charged with prostitution, consensual homosexual sex, producing pornographic material, cross-dressing and insulting religion, while the second, an 18-year-old student, is facing prostitution charges. Homosexuality is illegal in the United Arab Emirates, and if found guilty both face a minimum of three and a maximum of 15 years in prison.

White Crane Institute

2018-01-19

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