This is my favorite photo of the set. It shows a good sized group of gay men enjoying a meal together at a time when they faced what seemed like insurmountable obstacles to ever being able to freely be who they were. Even if they didn't know it, they were opening a path to liberation.
And I have to say that the man at lower right is incredibly handsome.
Edited to add: I did some research and found that this photo is just one of many preserved by the estates of a gay couple, Frank Bushong at the head of the table and Roger Pegram in glasses. It was made at Thanksgiving of 1963, and I think we are the ones who should be thankful.
Frank and Roger will get their own series in the future.
This photo brings me a huge amount of joy - thank you for posting it. It's amazing how a simple photo can speak volumes & represent so much. As for the guy at lower right, there is something about his facial expression that makes me go weak at the knees. He's the sort of guy I get an instant crush for. You just know he was a great guy. Actually, I'm sure they all were. Looking forward to the Frank & Roger series.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad this brought you joy, and thank you for your thoughtful comment. I agree with your opinion about the handsome guy and would love to have known him.
DeleteGrowing up in a small town, I was not aware of anyone that was gay. That just left what I saw on TV - stereotypical effeminate flaming queens or regular guys who turned out to be murderous psychopaths and always committed suicide at the end of the movie. I can only imagine the impact this photo would have had on me as a teen if I'd known the context.
DeleteI know what you mean. I felt the same way growing up.
DeleteTV was a mix bag in the 70’s, I can remember John Davidson as the unsympathetic psychotic transvestite on Streets of San Francisco and Don McLean as the sympathetic character Beverly Lasalle on All in the Family…:)
DeleteIn the 80s, gay characters were martyred saints: More sympathetic, but rarely human. And of course they either were bashed or got AIDS by the end.
DeleteBut if you were bi or trans, you were still likely to see representation only in the serial killers and such. It didn't help that gay intelligentsia were all too happy to say any unsavory real-life gay people were "really" bisexual, but also that we didn't exist because of a primitive understanding of genetics in pop culture.
It was a solemn day of Thanksgiving. Only 6 days after JFK was assassinated.
ReplyDeleteTrue. That was a week I'll never forget.
DeleteOur family like many others couldn’t even eat or celebrate that Thanksgiving in 1963. Christmas was sort of blah that year as well.
DeleteNew Years 1964 finally found us in a celebratory mood….:)
Lakota so we don't do Thanksgiving. My dad did, however, sing a requiem for JFK, back in the days of Latin masses.
DeleteI want to thank Frank and Roger for what they documented. I thank you, Jerry, for introducing me to this. I can't wait for the series. By the way, Frank and Roger are pretty hot themselves.
ReplyDeleteI was happy to do it, Leroy, and yes, those two are indeed attractive for more than one reason.
DeleteHappy and sad at the same time.
ReplyDeleteHappy they all have a place to go for the holidays.:) Sad that some of them would not be invited by their own families for the holidays.:(
Mr Bushong and Mr Pegram were gracious hosts….:)
Gracious hosts . . . and heroes.
Deletebut they found a new family.......!
DeleteSometimes the families we choose work best for us.
DeleteSchwules Paar beherbergt enge Freunde.
ReplyDeleteSo nachdenklich und liebevoll beim Erntedankfest.:)
In the 60’s in scotland if you wanted to meet in a private house there were would be a pile of prayer books just inside the door. Everyone would be required to take one. In case of a police raid it would kook like a prayer meeting.
ReplyDeleteNever heard that one! Scots are practical people.
DeleteOn a lighter note that was the weekend Dr Who started.
ReplyDelete