I don't know if anyone watched the Talking Heads (ABC2) interview with John-Michael Howson last night. it was up against A Current Affair but I am a bit sick of the Great Escape now,
Anyway i nearly threw things at thescreen when the following occurred
PETER THOMPSON: In those days in Western Australia as you were growing up, when did you decide you were gay?
JOHN-MICHAEL HOWSON: Oh, I think about 17 - 16, 17.
PETER THOMPSON: Was it hard in those days?
JOHN-MICHAEL HOWSON: I never found it hard because I never thought about it much. You know, I'll tell you what I honestly thought. I thought... I was reading - this is in the '50s - reading 'The City and the Pillar' and 'Finisterre', but the only thing about all those books, it's a bit like 'Brokeback Mountain', which I thought was a miserably depressing film. They always had to die at the end, you know. "For your sins, you will die!" But I used to read all this stuff and think, "I think I'm a bit like the blokes in that book." (Stammers) And it wasn't even a physical/sexual thing, it was an emotional attachment to men, you know. I think that probably comes from my, you know, my childhood. I always was around men and I liked being with those men. I really loved it, but in a non-sexual way - purely as a thing that I could identify with.
And then, eventually, I - I love the word - "came out" to the family, and my mother said, "Oh, darling, it takes all types to make a world." And my stepfather, same thing. I mean, they were very... And my stepfather was a real rugged character, you know. He was an ex-cop who became a publican and had learned to tap dance, so when he had a few drinks, up on the bar and was Fred Astaire. So, you can imagine with a dad like I had and a stepfather like I had, I mean, I loved them - they were fabulous people
I have just sent the following comment
I was very angry with John-Michael's comment about Brokeback Mountain. It was easy for him, flamboyantly gay in the entertainment business where people laughed at him. Those of us who worked in "straight" profession like teaching had to hide our sexuality and still face people who think that all gays have limp wrists and are outrageously camp. Brokeback showed the reality for many men in the 50's & 60's
In fact I think people like J M made life more difficult for us.
Not sure where else on this forum would be appropriate for this message