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4 May 2011

Larry Kramer: 'People do not identify themselves as gay. It is tragic.'

Larry Kramer, a prominent 76-year-old American playwright, author, public health advocate, and LGBT rights activist, said in an interview that he sees himself as a gay person before anything else and wonders why some (gay) people today do not identify themselves as gay.

In an interview with online magazine Salon.com published on April 23, Larry Kramer, a prominent 76-year-old American playwright, author, public health advocate, and LGBT rights activist asked "why so many (younger) gay men don't want to know their history" and why they seemed to have "turned their back on the older generation as if they don't want to have anything to do with them."


Larry Kramer, a prominent 76-year-old American playwright,
author, public health advocate, and LGBT rights activist.

The article noted that Kramer, who co-founded the New York City-based Gay Men's Health Crisis (GMHC) in 1982, that led the United States in the fight against AIDS, and resigned a year later to form the more militant ACT UP (the AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power) as a more political alternative, first incensed gay men in 1978 with Faggots, an "eerily prescient novel that critiqued the gay community's culture of promiscuity." 

In 2005, he published The Tragedy of Today's Gays, a transcript of a speech in which he attacked the younger generation of gay men for their apathy over gay causes and accused them of condemning their "predecessors to nonexistence." Thomas Rogers, Salon's Deputy Arts Editor wrote: "The largely autobiographical story centers on a group of gay men in the early days of the AIDS epidemic and stars Joe Mantello as Ned Weeks, a Kramer-esque activist desperately trying to draw attention to the plague, alongside a cast that includes Ellen Barkin, Lee Pace and The Big Bang Theory's Jim Parsons. The play remains a highly effective, moving work that brutally conveys the desperation and terror that accompanied the emergence of AIDS. But nowadays, it also doubles as a history lesson for people who grew up long after the first wave -- a role that Kramer sees as vital."

Kramer, in an interview with Thomas Rogers, Salon's Deputy Arts Editor, said:

On whether there's been a cultural shift away from meaningless sexual culture
"I think there's still an awful lot of meaningless sex going on and the infection figures are still much too high and going up, so obviously there's still too much careless sex going on. I don't want to come out of this sounding like this prude. I never said don't have sex, but what's so hard about using rubbers? It doesn't seem to require much intelligence to figure that one out. I don't have much sympathy for people who seroconvert now, who know about AIDS. I don't care if you were on drugs or whether you were out of it in the heat of passion or whatever. Your cock is a lethal instrument. It can murder people."

On being a "gay person before anything else"
"I am a gay person before I’m anything else. I’m a gay person before I’m a white person, before I’m a Jew, before I’m a writer, before I’m American, anything. That is my most identifying characteristic and I don’t find many people who would say that. The polls say the same thing: People do not identify themselves as gay. And that’s too bad. In fact, it’s tragic. It will prevent us from ever having what we deserve, I believe."

Read full article on Salon here.

讀者回應

1. 2011-05-04 21:16  
More tragic is people have forgotten they are all humans in pursuit of labels....
2. 2011-05-04 21:38  
Labels cause grief.
Accept that everyone is different and want different things from their own life.
All power to those that push the gay cause.
More power to those that accept that not everyone is the same.
3. 2011-05-05 01:18  
If people can't figure it out for themselves, then they're probably to dim to understand if I tell them. My brother and sister never announced that they were hetrosexual, and I never felt the need to announce that I'm gay. Judge me by what I do out of bed, not what I do in bed (or elsewhere). That said, if someone asks me directly: "Are you gay?" then they get a direct reply: Yes.
4. 2011-05-05 05:51  
Seems a bit of an arrogant statement. Just because he chooses to base his entire identity on being gay doesn't make it "tragic" that others don't. For me who I sleep with is just a tiny part of who I am. I identify first and foremost as a human being with many different characteristics and sides that make me who I am! I'm out to everyone, but I'm neither proud or ashamed of being gay. It just is what it is, don't see the need to make a big deal of it personally.
5. 2011-05-05 07:12  
To all you "human beings"..OMGOMG thats a label! Your using a LABEL. How COULD you, thats just TERRIBLE your using LABELS..(gasp gasp).

Please, give me a break. Your GAY. Homo. 'Mo. A Nancy boy. Fag. Stop trying to freaking HIDE. Thats all your doing with this label avoidance. You all can be as different and want different things and be such an oh so complex and astounding person with so many sides that no one knows if your coming or going (who sex is only a "tiny" part of who they are) and still be a *HO*MO*SEXUAL*. Grow a pair.
6. 2011-05-05 10:11  
The words in original interview does spark up a lot of controversy. Nevertheless, I enjoy listening to truth, from his perspective. Not to take his words to the universal plane, but from he said, certainly, some incidents do happen in the same facts pattern in Malaysia.

Yet I must say, he is really a brilliant person. Of all his spoken words, are to ignite those comments. And I can see how he wants gays to speak up. Bravo!!!!
回應#7於於2011-08-13 17:40被作者刪除。
8. 2011-05-05 22:40  
This is a 1.educational/2.spiritual topic:
1. A woman can say she is "just human", if she wants to know how culture has made her an object, property, gave her husband the "right" for domestic violence, she must read FEMINISM, also goes for all minorities, racial...
2. to work on self takes techniques: meditations, therapy, psychoactive plants... to be "just human" is to be a sucker of "corporate publicity" that defines who you are...
WHO AM I is the koan, or hua tou we must study to be full, complete, compassionate and thus FULLY HUMAN, but after the homework.
so lets work
Joxxx
9. 2011-05-06 01:51  
@edsmale one thing that really strikes me about the American culture is how many people there think in labels. It's all about how rich you are, what race you are, sexual orientation, whether you're a 'winner' or a 'loser' etc. It might be difficult for you to imagine, but in many many cultures throughout the world labels are nowhere near as common or important as they are in the US. Now live up to your profile description and actually try to be open-minded.
10. 2011-05-06 03:11  
Larry Kramer may feel strongly about his sexual identity, it does not imply that everybody should feel like him.

The Kinsey scale has a range from 1 to 6.

The concept of sexual identity may be politically useful, but is not necessarily relevant to human reality. Sexuality is fluctuant.
修改於2011-05-06 03:11:51
11. 2011-05-06 06:38  
jez85: and there are places in the world where labels are even MORE important then in USA, where the first thing done when meeting someone new is to ascertain the others relative socio/economic/age relative status, as you cannot even converse because you have to attatch the proper LABEL. And regardles if someone else uses a label or not (possibly because they are unaware, because one person is hiding parts of his identity?), the fact that you are gay remains. Only by people calling it a label is it a label. No one calls HUMAN a label, it just is. So is gay. It just is, its part of you. Can be large part, small part. You can have plenty of other parts (labels)...so?? To get all whinny and say labels are bad is to say the thing the label represents is bad. Labels are LANGUAGE. You cannot have a discussion and describe something without using labels. Unless of course you want to be an animal in the woods with no language. Do you want that? Then tell me, how can you have a conversation about "guys who like to suck cock" without using any labels? Im plenty open minded...just not open to people who hide and deny who they are, to get huffy over the label of "gay" is to try to deny that you ARE gay. Thats called being a liar.

Oh and THANK YOU Larry. You and all like you are the very reason we (GAYS) have the rights that we have, instead of hiding in our label free closets
修改於2011-05-06 09:00:54
12. 2011-05-06 06:59  
Totally agree. I really cannot hold with the assimilatory notion that equal rights means that we have to confirm and shut up 'cos people aren't calling us pansies or faires in the street anymore.

Our struggle has been about much more than acceptance, but being able to be our own distinct identity in a tripartite soceity.

This is no sepratist notion.

We see ourselves entirely as part of the global commubnity but within that sphere we are, it could be said, the rainbow ribbon that ties the whole thing together.
13. 2011-05-06 13:07  
"More tragic is people have forgotten they are all humans in pursuit of labels...."

Are you talking about D&G, Diesel, Dior and such? Those are the only labels I know people are in pursuit of... As for LGBTQ and such, I've observed in my interactions that those who tend to (aggressively) deny labels [such as butch (for lesbians) and bottom/sissies/gay (for gay men)] tend to have negative feelings towards certain attributes that are akin to reverse homophobia. It seems to be a terrible thing to lesbians if some of "us" are too "butch" and for gay men if some of "us" are too "femme"...
修改於2011-05-06 13:11:32
14. 2011-05-07 07:16  
steve+kellen: right on! I am just soooooooo gay :) Stick a label on me and call me done
15. 2011-05-07 12:35  

He can define his life as he wishes and he should allow others to define their life as they wish. It is not heresy to place differing priorities on traits that are part of our identity.

I have always felt pity for this man, as he always seems to be angry. I could never imagine living a life like his. It must be a very dark place he comes from.
回應#16於於2011-08-13 17:41被作者刪除。
17. 2011-05-07 23:17  
@ Caesar Hail Caesar! Kuman is always judging people, he enjoys it.

I think Larry Kramer has a very good point; a lot of people posting say that being gay is a small part of their identity, like eye color or 'race'. That sounds pretty, but it's also not quite true. Anytime someone asks you if you're married, or if you've got a girlfriend, you're being asked about your sexuality. Even if you say you're single and you're not looking, groups are going to define you and pressure you. However, in nations where gays have come out more and more, that pressure has dissolved. And then being gay does become less important, like race...

... Only race does matter, as anyone who's lived anywhere knows.

All that said, I do think I can see where some irritation comes from. It's hyperbolic to assert that not identifying as gay is "tragic"; does anyone think Gore Vidal is tragic? (You do if you're Republican, but that's another story.) The political creation of 'gay space' in democratic cultures is one thing; the almost Nietzschean position that there are no homosexuals, only homosexual acts (and let's have a lot of those) is Vidal's position, and he feels safe in a European "what goes on behind closed doors" culture. Well, good for all these old angry queens.

I think in the end, to take a position strongly like either Kramer or Vidal is to basically admit that you're retired. If you travel for work, as a lot of us do on Fridae, then you are changing your identity more often than most to recognize that play of shadow puppets that is our 'identity'. I'm "out" in the US, but "not" in China; however, I have a gay boyfriend in China, and not in the US. So, am I gay in America where I don't fuck, Mr.Vidal, and am I gay in China where I am not "out" but tragically fuck, Mr. Kramer?
18. 2011-05-08 02:17  
Seems many have nor read the full piece or that they have not read that part which I find rather disturbing:

"I never said don't have sex, but what's so hard about using rubbers? It doesn't seem to require much intelligence to figure that one out. I don't have much sympathy for people who seroconvert now, who know about AIDS."
19. 2011-05-08 06:35  
It is part of maintaining a healthy, positive self-esteem. Why put all your eggs in a basket, when there are also many areas of yourselves that are important? Being gay is important, but it does means anything else ain't. If being gay is the single most important attribute and it carries a negative social connotation to it, then it's hard to feel good about yourself.

I believe Mr Kramer isn't as proud of him being gay, as compared to him believe that by thinking that way, he is being a principled person.
20. 2011-05-09 13:45  
ALL THE ANSWERS ARE UP TO US!
Many at times in a conservative communities, identify homosexual is embarassing, rahter keep silent unless there is a need to declare your own orientation.
Self-Recognition is important, avoid to get one loses.
21. 2011-05-11 08:05  
Someone's sexuality plays as much or as little influence as that person wants it to play within thier lives. While I agree that no one should have to hide thier sexuality I also feel that people should be free to act and be the person they wish to be and should not fee that they either need to act gay or straight. While there are some gay people who seem to broadcast thier sexuality through thier actions, clothing etc I do not. It is not because I fear anything but that it is simply not in my own personality. I am a lively outgoing person but although I am gay I have no interest in fashion, gossiping or other often wrongly percieved gay attributes. Personally I would rather watch top gear and repair a computer :)
22. 2011-05-12 11:30  
Mr. Kramer has dedicated his life to what he sees as the 'gay cause.' His reasons for doing this remain opaque to me which is fine; I can simply appreciate his effort and drive even when I don't appreciate some of his speech and actions. At least he attempting to do something.

His feeling of it being "tragic" to be gay but not self-identify, self-declare is possibly as much a condition of his era and experience as it is his reaction to society's speech and action towards his personal "investment" in AIDS and other causes. I see nothing wrong with his feeling because it is HIS feeling; he owns it but I do not have to do so. I merely read and assimilate that which fits, discarding that which does not.

Regarding him not having sympathy for those who seroconvert nowadays, please remember he's a playwright; I imagine he used that word with careful thought. Not having sympathy implies he has equanimity; afterall, most of us are aware of the paths to infection and can take precautions. If we don't, it's out of choice rather than simple ignorance. He doesn't say he has no sympathy for suffering, just the acts that lead to sero-conversion. And I choose to believe he does have compassion for the suffering of others, just not what he perceives as self-destructive choices.
23. 2011-05-17 01:45  
Kramer is being myopic. As someone who came out after marriage (in which I was faithful), I can vouch that it took years for me to properly come out. When I was 20, I announced to mom that I thought I was gay. She responded by sending me to a shrink who categorically convinced me that the "gay thing" was a phase, and that I would out grow it.

I went on to marry. My coming out was a long hard process. When, after my marriage ended, I again told mom that I was gay, she responded by partially disowning me and then soon passing away.

Point is, we may all be in different stages of our development regarding our "out" identity and our acceptance of it. In addition, I'm not one of these gays who feels it requisite to relocate to WEHO and to form my life around "being gay". My life is quite full of many facets, thank you! So I think Kramer's approach lacks both understanding and balance...

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