Speaking Out (of his mind!)	Speaking Out Archive

It has come to the attention of my mother that some publications have gone way overboard in terms of sexual explicitness and detail. This unfortunate trend seems to be especially evident among certain periodicals catering to the gay and lesbian community.

Don't get me wrong. Mom is no prude. She just happens to believe that barnyard talk doesn't belong in polite society and that the sordid particulars of deviant sexual predilections and practices certainly do not belong in print.

As gay and lesbian people our first responsibility is to make certain that our sexuality isn't offending some straight person. Therefore, it behooves us as a community to emphasize those things that we have in common with straight society rather than those things that set us apart. In short, we should avoid all discussion of any activity specifically gay or lesbian. Let our publications fill their pages with news of concerts, fashion, hobbies, food, and forgo any mention of our undesirable sexual interests or experiences.

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To make certain that straight sensibilities are being fully considered in selecting material for print, I recommend that each gay magazine or paper establish a straight Board of Advisors who might properly review material before it is published. That way, we might avoid unnecessary embarrassment.

Our good image depends upon our behaving in public at all times as though we were straight and in keeping what we do in private, private.

Mom has already indicated to me her willingness to help our community regain a sense of decency and propriety by serving on such a screening board. I'm sure that other straight people could be found who would similarly assist us, by pointing out what they find offensive about us and our sexuality.

Of course, a fat lot of good Mom's generous offer will do our community if it is not accepted. We will then continue to be plagued by lurid descriptions of what gay and lesbian people actually do and think, rather than edified by presentations more pleasing to straight society. I just hope the majority of us will have the common sense to listen to Mom.