5'4‘? **.:'—n2*-.~"3..-‘-*3‘:-‘ V --‘.-<—'~ >4»!-4.--.--«a-~v -‘:\"'*‘_»-’1‘_'Iv"-re «...-»... ~.-.»—-~«.~»-w""r-Ms--y --.-..-w-‘,v"‘.-w-':-'fi-"W"?"‘*"'*“‘w"'~:-“~r-r 'g-*-'.»- .'«""=""‘.*“'Y"”r "J" »“"">‘“"'”' '-"*"‘ "' r-”*' ‘~' ~“ " -‘ "" " ‘r’ “r ‘v ‘-4- '7‘ v‘ v~ ‘ w -s" -r -u .--A-yw-:-- 10 — OUT IN THE MOUNTAINS — OCTOBER 1997 I reviews flEVVSiflfld consta rice hea-rsthe.r{st ell, Christmasimayisoi? is certainly on Drag Que . p friend from The North East Kingdom, b say if she were doing the Winter is a Drag ball inst, _d-off-*ni‘e? The Rise and Fall of Gay Culture by Daniel Harris. Hyperion ew Yor BOTH REVIEWS BY PAUL OLSEN — -— — — ”What a dump!” ”Toto, I don't think we're in Kansas any- more.” ”But you are, Blanche, you are in that chair.” Citing Hol- lywood quotes like these is just one of the techniques author Daniel Harris uses to trace the historical development and mean- ing of gay culture over time in his book, The Rise and Fall ofGay Culture. Using ”before” and ”after" snapshots, Harris thoroughly documents shifts in gay culture and the movement towards as- similation in queer rituals like drag, diva worship, personal ads, pornography, and piercing. (Harris does not address the unique elements of lesbian culture in his book). In chapters titled ”The Death of Camp”, ”The Evolution of Personals and Gay Ro- could all wear swim wear. Nocl’s long awaited CD, soon to be availableto the world, is a trendy poppy collection of dance songs.}an W ‘ lads, although a lot of fun, sometimes it has morea hint ofitlii , possible power of her voice than the actual power.’ K g e L 9 quick image of Ru Paul dancing across the screen I I Love Shack video this is just a hint of things to co had her detractors, and Constance isn't quite sur, she has never said anything against other local d Well, maybe it's just that tacky green sequined ‘ortste OLlSy. fine drag queen music is sold. I mean, female illus Sorry my dear, Constance has so much to keep :-fr‘ days. Not much else has been happening around except apparently Cherie and Yolanda did mak The Tunbridge Fair with Mr. Fred Tuttle, Constaf that weekend getting her little red wagon fixed. Ap met Mrs. Fred Tuttle, who was not too impressed foremost drag queen Television stars. I have no 9* won the blue ribbon though for the best drag quee that would be small potatoes for Ms. Tartt wh i soon be gracing the sides of busses to promote 18 Film Festival. Rumor has it that Amber and Mar been lobbying in Montpelier for busses to be add board law. But then again they might have a point idiotic Cellular One and WIZN busses are uglier the worst stretches of NJ highway. ~ But Constance digresses. My darling, Endd been chatting about the next Winter Is A Drag worry, it assuredly will happen again, despite what report to the world now, Ms. Endora will be leaving The CD, as farlas 1 know is available at Tonesjl I All of you letter writing drama queens had be El”: 9 i if money where your mouth is and write that big Ch you had been withholding. She and I will indeed bed ball. I, however will be in charge of the advertisin be contracting out the assigning of the dressing ro _ cat declawer, though. october QMONDAY GLITTER Film Night at Rhombus Gallery, Corner of College and Church St., Burlington. Unzipped, a docu- mentary about the life of fashion de- signer lsaac Mizrahi. FMI call Steven Kopstein at 802-434-5653 or email: GLlTl'ERvt@aol.com. gm ESDAY "An Evening With Sarah Schulman" - novelist Sarah Schulman reads from Rat Bohemia and discusses how her activism with ACT UP and Lesbian - Avengers has impacted her life and career as‘ a writer. 7:30pm, McCullough Center, Middlebury Col- lege. callmoqa FMl: 388-0750. sarah schulman aWEDNESDAY 2:30 PM, Hanover, NH, Auditorium E at the Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, free lecture by Constance Nagi, MD, on recognizing and treat- ing depression throughout a woman's life. FMI: 603-650-7500. The Rise and Fall of Gay Culture mance”, ”The Death of Kink”, ”The Aesthetic of Drag”, and ”The Kitschification of AIDS”, Harris raises important questions about the death of cultural diversity in American society. ”In part because of the business world’s growing recognition of our appeal as a market,” he writes, ”the most valuable features of our culture...are disappearing.” ”The gay sensibility now transcends regional borders, so the homosexual in Tennessee looks and sounds almost exactly like the ho- mosexual in Arizona, sharing not only a common style of dress but a physical type, a linguistic accent, and a set of defining tastes in art, decoration, and music” Harris laments. Harris’s comprehensive sociological review provides a humorous and, at times, poignant look at gay culture. In his chapter on camp, he describes gay men's attraction to Bette Davis and Joan Crawford. ”The fantasy of the vicious, back—stabbing vagina dentata, always quick on her feet, always ready to demolish her opponent with a stunning rejoinder, is the fantasy of a power- less minority that asserts itself through language, not physical violence,” he writes. In The Rise and Fall of Gay Culture, Daniel Harris provides a persuasive and witty argument against the homogenization of American culture. ”The eventual disappearance of gay culture constitutes a significant loss, not just for gay people, but for American culture in general” Harris concludes. Sadly, Harris’s well—documented book proves he may be right. in 1992, I had the opportunity to see the Royal National Theatre's production“’of Tony Kushner’s play Angels in America. In anticipation of the Vermont premier of Angels in America at the University of Vermont, I've dusted off my old OITM review and am re- printing it here: Tony Kushner describes Angels in America as ”a gay fan- tasia on national themes.” Us- ing a mix of humor, fantasy, and tragedy the play is AIDS drama at its best. Subtitled Part One: Millennium Approaches, the play focuses on two couples (upwardly mobile Mormon Joseph Pitt, his Valium addicted wife Harper, friend Prior Walter) and the guilt they experience during theReagan years. Featuring some real-life characters, in- cluding Joseph McCarthy's se- cret homosexual aide/ power broker Roy M. Cohen and the executed Ethel Rosenburg, the play deals with the ethical and physical decay of America in the 1980's and is clearly an in- dictment of the Reagan admin- istration. Actors in more than one role, actors as stage—hands, and minimal scenery contribute to this impressive production. In light of how the AIDS crisis has touched all of our lives this play cannot help but make you cry which is only relieved by aTH U RSDAY 7 & 9:30pm FILM: "Beautifu| Thing" In this touching and funny movie, two boys find first love in the housing projects of South London. Full of the rough life, tender moments, and quirky characters. $1, Twilight Audi- torium; call moqa FMI: 388-0750 M FRIDAY 10-13. Radical Faerie Columbus Day gathering at the Vagabond in Grafton ($30 for two nights / $45 for three)or with Autumn camping on the parcel of land purchased this summer in Grafton. contact Moon for more infor- mation: 254 6276. 10-13. Columbus Day Biking and Hik- ing with the Chiltern Min Club. We’ll do some light to intermediate bicycling mor as evidenced by the witty character Belize, a nurse/ former drag queen and Prior’s former lover. American playwright Tony Kushner wrote Angels in America as part one of a two part series. The play, which won the 1990 Fund for New American Plays/Kennedy Center Award and the 1991 Jo- seph 'Kesselring Award, pre- miered in Britain in January (1992) and will be followed by Part Two: Perestroika. You heard it here first: Angels in America is unforgettable. Watch for it and make plans to attend or better yet call your travel agent and book a trip to London (or UVM, see right)! and hiking the next three days, de- pending on the weather. Free lodg- ing. Chip in for breakfast and vegetar- ian dinners. Limited to 9 in the house, 2 in the cabin. Unlimited camping. Bob Bland (802) 333-9448 bland@sover.net “NATIONAL COMING OUT DAY Amelia’s Foliage Hike around Deer Leap, Killington, VT. 1 pm. FMI: Lynn & Jeanne: 802-672-5280 (|fisher@conriver.net). As part of UVM’s National Coming Out Week, the Samadhi Singers will per- form at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church (corner of Battery & Cherry Sts. - Burlington) 7:30 pm.. Also, the Rev. Barry Stopfel & Will Leckie, life pan- ners and authors of “Courage To Love,” will speak on “The Sexual & J The Sacred: How Coming Out Affects Spiritual Growth." Admission is free, donations welcome. FMI, contact UVM’s Cooperative Christian Minis- try & Office of the Episcopal Chap- laincy at 656-3882. 1‘ samadhi singers