ReNe: the joy of gay sex

A provocative title. Very nicely drawn pictures. How could I resist?

I borrowed the book from one of Toronto's public libraries because I was curious about gay literature. Sexuality, including gay and lesbian, is a commonly seen section in many libraries and bookshops here, while it was close to impossible to find (good) LGBT literature, or even literature on heterosexual sexuality, in Singapore. Nothing like banning or suppressing something to stir up (my) curiosity!

The Joy of Gay Sex, by Charles Silverstein and Felice Picano, reads like a A-Z manual aimed at a gay who's new to everything... so I didn't learn very much, heh. Mostly. I'll say about three-quarters, maybe more, of the book didn't tell me anything I didn't know, but it was a good read still. I'd admit I didn't really get some aspects of gay culture, like camping or tearooms, but the book gave a good explanation. My previous understanding was akin to reading about an unknown word in many different sentences and piecing together a meaning from the usage, but it's not quite the same as actually cracking open the dictionary.

What I found particularly interesting were the authors' accounts of gay civil rights and liberation, and the changes in the gay scene in the US from the 60's and 70's to the 90's, especially since the authors speak with spades of personal experience. I mean, I know what I think about homosexuality and various related issues (I think there's nothing wrong with homosexuality at all, or any kind of sexuality), but it's interesting, enlightening and even a bit sad to read about it or hear about it from a friend about the other point of view. For example, the issue of coming out. I'm the passive-aggressive type, so if I were gay (and if I were in some place like Singapore), I'd move to a place that is more gay-friendly before outing. So the authors of the book discussed it from a couple of perspectives: coming out is a very personal decision, and in some cases, it's just not viable or safe to do so; however, coming out is a form of very crucial support for the gay community in general. The rights gays enjoy today were built on the bravery and struggles of the gays in history who dared to come out despite the negativity and discrimination -- and that statement stuck with me.

Throughout my life, I tend to form strong, personal but usually quiet opinions about many things. I feel uncomfortable standing up and saying loudly what I really, really think. That's something I want to change.