SRD and activism

Hey Marcelo, Agustina and friends,

It's not too surprising that you read Chip's older work and didn't see
that he's gay (SRD has also been called "bisexual", but calls himself gay,
as do I).  He didn't make a big deal about it until "Dhalgren" or really
until "Stars/Sand" and "Motion of Light In Water".
The reason that gay/lesbian/bi/transgender people engage in activism is
that we are denied basic human rights.  The most important issues are
protection, prevention and treatment for HIV, protection from
discrimination for gay people, and recognition for relationships in
law-including marriage.
And we *are* denied basic rights, when I can be fired because I'm gay in
Ohio, Michigan, the Carolinas or Virginia, when I can't rent a home or buy
one with my partner in several states, when I get assaulted and insulted
for my sexuality (I've been hit twice) and when thousands of gay people in
this nation are killed or commit suicide because of their sexuality.
Yes, we do engage in activism, and so do fat people- it's called the Fat
Acceptance Movement, but because there are fewer legal issues, they engage
in less actual protest and they get less press.

I think, as she offered, Agustina can send you the books, Marcelo.

Yes, SRD has written less and less SF recently, because he also teaches,
and "They Fly At Ciron" was the most recent piece that I know of.  He says
that more is coming, but it will be slow.

BTW, your English is great!

Jim

I had the
> chance of read some interviews about his gay activism.
> That was new for me and shocked me, I must tell. You
> must be a real dumb guy if you don´t see his sexual
> preferences, but (in my opinion) one´s sexual
> preferences is one matter, and an activism of it is
> another... I don´t believe in this kind of activism, I
> don´t see the difference between me and a gay,
> femenine, christian,jew or muslim person, not in terms
> of writting. There are fat-people literature,
> bearded-men music or one-eye-people art? 
> Human beings are different enough from each other to
> enclose ourselves in ghettos.
> The Question is this:
> What can you tell me about this?
> Am I wrong?
> Where Chip´s activism come from?

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