Maine Owl

Twenty-five years ago today, a man in Bangor was beaten, thrown off a bridge into Kenduskeag Stream, and left to drown because he was gay. The three teenage male perpetrators laughed as they drove away, according to their 17-year-old female companion. If that was not depraved indifference, I don't know what is.

The three received light juvenile sentences. I have no idea where they are now.

This was the year I was living in Clinton, Maine (about 50 miles down I-95). My job at the time was teaching high school science in the Waterville area. Thinking back, this was quite an important event with respect to my own thinking, as it was for a lot of people around here.

Afterward, two things happened with me. First, I became more vigilant in confronting the type of remarks my teenage students would make against gay people. I realized that the types of deep attitudes reflected in these remarks led to the tragedy on July 7. Second, I woke up to the fact that sexuality is political. That was not at all how I operated up to then. Sure, I knew people who participated in the University Wilde-Stein group, but I pretty much steered clear of the associated politics. Heck, I pretty much steered clear of gay culture entirely even though I've lived in big cities including Minneapolis and Chicago. That detachment and skittishness ended for me in 1984, as it did for a lot of people.

Not long after, I saw the astonishing documentary film, Before Stonewall. This film was made about the same time Charlie Howard died. (The 40th anniversary of the Stonewall riots passed just over a week ago, see below for video from two excellent broadcasts on the topic.) Suddenly I realized that I worked with many gay people. All anybody really wanted in work and social relationships was just to be treated the same as everyone else. I was done being skittish about seeing people of the same sex display affection, but I realized that there would be an awful lot of work to do.

Certainly things have changed a vast amount. Maine has a law signed by Governor Baldacci that makes same-sex marriage legal and recognized by the state, as it should be. But the sad truth is there will be a repeal fight over this great new law. The attitudes that led to Charlie Howard's death still exist in our community (look at a few of the comments under the BDN story). There is still an awful lot of work to do. Mosey on over to Equality Maine and help them every way you can. I am.

Democracy Now! June 26, 2009


Grit TV with Laura Flanders: Before & After Stonewall

The political climate before the explosion at Stonewall in New York's Greenwich Village in 1969 has been artfully documented by John Scagliotti, whose films Before Stonewall and After Stonewall tell the story of gay activism and the struggle for social justice throughout the twentieth century. You can find out more about Scagliotti's work here.