Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site bbncca.ARPA Path: utzoo!linus!bbncca!rrizzo From: rrizzo@bbncca.ARPA (Ron Rizzo) Newsgroups: net.motss,net.religion,net.flame Subject: Re: Serpent in Paradise Message-ID: <915@bbncca.ARPA> Date: Wed, 22-Aug-84 10:40:28 EDT Article-I.D.: bbncca.915 Posted: Wed Aug 22 10:40:28 1984 Date-Received: Thu, 23-Aug-84 03:46:04 EDT References: <1030@ihuxi.UUCP> Organization: Bolt, Beranek and Newman, Cambridge, Ma. Lines: 21 Re Mike Musing's followup: Gay men have "no control over their minority affiliation", unless you believe sexuality is a matter of preference rather than fundamental orientation of personality. Of course, not having sex or receiving blood transfusions will "prevent" AIDS. But Haitians can take the same measures: abstain from all sex and blood transfusions. They're no more captive to their "minority affiliation" in this regard than are gay men. The basically prejudicial nature of trying to distinguish between more and less "legitimate" minorities is nicely illustrated here. In this case, the issue of visibility (i.e., racial minorities can't disguise themselves as gays can), the one irreducible distinction between gays and racial or gender minorities, isn't even present, yet Mike still tries to trade on the idea that gays are less of an "authentic" minority than, say, Haitians. Cheers, Ron Rizzo