Gay in the Writer's Room, Fine in the World

Sometimes, I think Adam, my Recognized-by-the-State-of-California-Domestic-Partner, is just right on. He was interviewed for this piece, (Second page): Gay in the Writer's Room.

Bravo on his take. He didn’t get all polemical. He didn’t get all victimy. He didn’t get all, “We gays, we gays, oh how hard it is for we gays.” He just talked about working.

I have had this problem lately---and I think it comes from some leftover 1960’s-70’s stuff. There was a time when the very common mantra, “The Personal is Political,” was being said and written everywhere. It had its place. It was necessary.
Eventually, that mantra disappeared, but the attitude stuck, much how the Romantic era ended toward the end of the nineteenth century but still exists in popular culture. It’s hard to shake a way of thinking, even if it has already been played out. Even if the words are gone, the sentiment-philosophy remains.

I am among the generation for which “The Personal is Political” still seems to be sticking. The younger generation, thank Yahweh in the tuna casserole, seems to have dumped it.

Lately, during these trying times, there has been a lot of complaining. People want their fair share. They feel they are not getting their fair share because they are gay, brown, female, whatever. But it is so clear that almost no one is getting their fair share. How can people single themselves out as victims? Furthermore, why would you WANT to single yourself out as a victim? Seems strange to me.

I have to say, and I say this honestly, I have always felt that being gay (as an adult) has never held me back. And I am happy to live with someone who, it seems, feels the same way.

If the personal is political, then what I have to say is, “I personally feel I am no worse off politically than anyone else. These days, everyone is a hated minority. Good luck to all. Pass the salt. For some reason, I always like a little extra salt. And that’s not a problem either.”