Thanks to Gene S. for the tip about the new book _Gay New York_, which
traces the history of (self-)naming in gay urban subculture. I've just called
my local booksupplier to have them hold a copy for me, as it sounds like
precisely the text I've been seeking to verify some interpretations I make
of the use of the word "queen" in the 1930s, in publicity for Mae West's
films.
I'm sending this note to the list only as a demonstration of a point that
has repeatedly been made over the almost two years that I've been subscribing
to it (remember the repeated discussions about moderating, sending posts of
presumbably narrow topics to individuals only, etc.?): namely, responses to
media topics that diverge into issues that may seem irrelevant to some
prove indeed most useful and thought-provoking to others. My sense is that
the person who has repeatedly objected to further discussion of this topic,
in language that I for one consider quite rude, may be new to the list and
so not yet realize that the topic will die out for lack of interest when the
group as a whole sees no more tie-in to media concerns. Hasn't that been
our rather laboriously reached repeated consensus, for this unmoderated
group: that those not interested in a topic can quickly delete the messages
rather than trying to dictate or control the discussion? Indeed, I expect
this topic has extended even the short time it has only because the tone of
the messages from the one person objecting has impelled some people such as
myself who do not often post to respond, in defense of tolerance.
I'm wondering if others have noted a shift in tone on SCREEN-L of late (and
also in the volume of messages, even now that the duplicity has
been eliminated (thank you for handling that, Jeremy!) Is this a consequence
of the school year's winding down for many participants, of an influx of new
members from the "gateway" or what? Not to start a process-oriented
discussion (rather, preferably, to bring one to a close), but perhaps, Jeremy,
you as list owner could report briefly what effects you see to date from
the Gateway link-up, if you think that's been operating long enough to
have any impact. Thanks.
Ramona Curry
Dept. of English
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
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