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Thursday, May 25, 2023
1978
Our last Fire Island photo is from July, 1978. It wouldn't be
long before all our worlds would be turned upside down.
Yes, by the time I returned permanently to Paris in 1986, I had lost 21 friends - all those I had danced with at Heaven. Paris had the largest number of victims outside San Francisco. With all the French hang-ups over contraception, it would take the government five years to react with a safe sex campaign. I will hand it to Margaret Thatcher's government for that... by the time it became apparent what was going on, the Ministry of Health financed a very hard-hitting, nation-wide media onslaught for safe sex and used quite heavy-handed influence to get TV discussion and education programmes aired.
I have already mentioned this incredible novel before and quoted from it at length in the past, but I would remind you and your viewers, Jerry, of Andrew Holleran's captivating, bitter-sweet novel Dancer from the Dance, that captures so deftly those carefree days before the plague in gay New York, in which Summers on Fire Island feature in great, and realistic detail. The author clearly had firsthand experience of its delights. Little did we know on its first reading that it would become a work of near-historical record and a roller-coaster ride down memory lane.
Thank you for these photos. There is a series of novels by Ethan Morden ("Buddies") published over the 1990s about gay Manhattan and Fire Island. They capture gay friendships beautifully like the photos you show do.
I just watched Longtime Companion again a few days ago. The contrast on Fire Island was profound.
ReplyDeleteSB Dan
Yes, by the time I returned permanently to Paris in 1986, I had lost 21 friends - all those I had danced with at Heaven. Paris had the largest number of victims outside San Francisco. With all the French hang-ups over contraception, it would take the government five years to react with a safe sex campaign. I will hand it to Margaret Thatcher's government for that... by the time it became apparent what was going on, the Ministry of Health financed a very hard-hitting, nation-wide media onslaught for safe sex and used quite heavy-handed influence to get TV discussion and education programmes aired.
ReplyDeleteI remember that media campaign from my first visit to London.
DeleteI have already mentioned this incredible novel before and quoted from it at length in the past, but I would remind you and your viewers, Jerry, of Andrew Holleran's captivating, bitter-sweet novel Dancer from the Dance, that captures so deftly those carefree days before the plague in gay New York, in which Summers on Fire Island feature in great, and realistic detail. The author clearly had firsthand experience of its delights. Little did we know on its first reading that it would become a work of near-historical record and a roller-coaster ride down memory lane.
ReplyDelete" . . . roller-coaster ride . . ." Good description of my life at that time.
DeleteThank you for these photos. There is a series of novels by Ethan Morden ("Buddies") published over the 1990s about gay Manhattan and Fire Island. They capture gay friendships beautifully like the photos you show do.
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome, Thomas.
Delete