It’s all a product of being raised in a society led by toxic masculinity. A typical example of that being Trump, and the opposite (men who believe that being a whole person includes authenticity and compassion) would be a Biden, Bernie, etc. The examples in the article also remind me of the wounded child that ends up in situations and with partners that reinforce the negative messaging they grew up with. Cohn- especially back then grew up in a society that told him he was less of a man or person for being gay. Associating himself with McCarthy asserted him as a “man,” but also psychologically reinforced what we was told was true. It’s a child of abuse ending up with an abusive partner. Cohn was a terrible man- but a part of me is saddened by what he was living with internally, and the fact that everyone he thought were friends walked away when he has AIDS. If you associate with people who reject the essence of who you are, you will be left all alone in the end. Our society needs a major paradigm shift, and we will only get there if we open the doors of power to people who are LGBTQ, female, POC, etc. That is the only way to a healthy society
Well I think they say to the selves: “Well being a homo is not being Black where everyone can see I’m different so it makes my performative allyship with fascists the best beard one could find.” I’m black, very fair, and I heard someone at a party in New York say something like this... I threw up the Korbel Chandon.
You know what I love about this comment Mark? It exposes the lie that white people, queer or straight, don't "see color", or aren't aware of their privileged status, or don't think about/understand race and racial politics. This person CLEARLY thought long and hard about that thing he fixed his mouth to say, and after thinking about it he arrived at a truly sickening, hateful conclusion.
Check out this book I just hear a podcast featuring the author...
Mediocre: The Dangerous Legacy of White Male America by Ijeoma Oluo
EJ I just heard an amazing interview with this author whose name I can't even try to pronounce yet but I hope Michaelangelo will seek her out and have her on his show.
Thank you for your praise... I teach in Ethnic Studies and I haven't yet written about that experience. I've held onto it for a very long time. SO many things recently help me begin my own human revolution to speak out... I have too much experience to not! Thank you so much.
Mediocre : The Dangerous Legacy of White Male America by Ijeoma Oluo - New - 1580059511 by Basic Books | Thriftbooks.com
EJ I just heard an amazing interview with this author whose name I can't even try to pronounce yet but I hope Michaelangelo will seek her out and have her on his show.
Thank you for your praise... I teach in Ethnic Studies and I haven't yet written about that experience. I've held onto it for a very long time. SO many things recently help me begin my own human revolution to speak out... I have too much experience to not! Thank you so much.
My ex-boyfriend (who was from a posh section of Orange County, CA) had a friend who was married and closeted. This guy said he once hooked up with one of their mutual male friends (who was out) because he got really drunk one night. I told my ex that was complete bs and I was appalled that someone would hide behind such an explanation.
I met this closeted guy during a friends weekend when we rented cabins in UT. During dinner one night, I watched closeted guy exchange glances and find a way to sit next to the gay friend he hooked up with whenever his wife would leave the room. It pissed me off so much that I made up an excuse of not feeling well for the rest of the weekend so I could stay in the cabin my ex and I shared. I just couldn’t stomach the hypocrisy.
These closeted men are weak, pathetic individuals and more concerned with their wealth and privileges than being proud and embracing their authentic selves. It’s disgusting.
Great piece Michaelangelo, and I think you wrapped up it all up in a nice tidy now when you said toward the end (and I'm paraphrasing) ultimately these are white men who want their white male privilege and they're not about to let being queer stand in their way. It's a sick, destructive mindset that eventually takes them down, and takes far too many innocent people down with them.
Thank you EJ. Yes, it's like they feel "cheated." They're saying. "I got all this privilege but now you're telling me that this one thing, which I can actually do my best to hide, is going to keep me back? No way!" It's grotesque.
Michael, it totally blows me away, but, unfortunately we can't be surprised because of the oppression we have always had to deal with and the deep rooted feeling that we are less than others. Years of trying to put the gay genie back in the bottle has caused a majority of the self-esteem issues that we sometimes face, I think. It was great to hear you and Noah Michelson from HuffPost discussing this!
It’s all a product of being raised in a society led by toxic masculinity. A typical example of that being Trump, and the opposite (men who believe that being a whole person includes authenticity and compassion) would be a Biden, Bernie, etc. The examples in the article also remind me of the wounded child that ends up in situations and with partners that reinforce the negative messaging they grew up with. Cohn- especially back then grew up in a society that told him he was less of a man or person for being gay. Associating himself with McCarthy asserted him as a “man,” but also psychologically reinforced what we was told was true. It’s a child of abuse ending up with an abusive partner. Cohn was a terrible man- but a part of me is saddened by what he was living with internally, and the fact that everyone he thought were friends walked away when he has AIDS. If you associate with people who reject the essence of who you are, you will be left all alone in the end. Our society needs a major paradigm shift, and we will only get there if we open the doors of power to people who are LGBTQ, female, POC, etc. That is the only way to a healthy society
Yes, so true.
True Monica, well said.
Was Grennell there, at the orgy in Brussels? People are saying he was.
Well I think they say to the selves: “Well being a homo is not being Black where everyone can see I’m different so it makes my performative allyship with fascists the best beard one could find.” I’m black, very fair, and I heard someone at a party in New York say something like this... I threw up the Korbel Chandon.
You know what I love about this comment Mark? It exposes the lie that white people, queer or straight, don't "see color", or aren't aware of their privileged status, or don't think about/understand race and racial politics. This person CLEARLY thought long and hard about that thing he fixed his mouth to say, and after thinking about it he arrived at a truly sickening, hateful conclusion.
Check out this book I just hear a podcast featuring the author...
Mediocre: The Dangerous Legacy of White Male America by Ijeoma Oluo
EJ I just heard an amazing interview with this author whose name I can't even try to pronounce yet but I hope Michaelangelo will seek her out and have her on his show.
Thank you for your praise... I teach in Ethnic Studies and I haven't yet written about that experience. I've held onto it for a very long time. SO many things recently help me begin my own human revolution to speak out... I have too much experience to not! Thank you so much.
Mediocre : The Dangerous Legacy of White Male America by Ijeoma Oluo - New - 1580059511 by Basic Books | Thriftbooks.com
EJ I just heard an amazing interview with this author whose name I can't even try to pronounce yet but I hope Michaelangelo will seek her out and have her on his show.
Thank you for your praise... I teach in Ethnic Studies and I haven't yet written about that experience. I've held onto it for a very long time. SO many things recently help me begin my own human revolution to speak out... I have too much experience to not! Thank you so much.
Great article. I always loved your works, Michelangelo.
Thank you so much Ricky!
My ex-boyfriend (who was from a posh section of Orange County, CA) had a friend who was married and closeted. This guy said he once hooked up with one of their mutual male friends (who was out) because he got really drunk one night. I told my ex that was complete bs and I was appalled that someone would hide behind such an explanation.
I met this closeted guy during a friends weekend when we rented cabins in UT. During dinner one night, I watched closeted guy exchange glances and find a way to sit next to the gay friend he hooked up with whenever his wife would leave the room. It pissed me off so much that I made up an excuse of not feeling well for the rest of the weekend so I could stay in the cabin my ex and I shared. I just couldn’t stomach the hypocrisy.
These closeted men are weak, pathetic individuals and more concerned with their wealth and privileges than being proud and embracing their authentic selves. It’s disgusting.
Great piece Michaelangelo, and I think you wrapped up it all up in a nice tidy now when you said toward the end (and I'm paraphrasing) ultimately these are white men who want their white male privilege and they're not about to let being queer stand in their way. It's a sick, destructive mindset that eventually takes them down, and takes far too many innocent people down with them.
Thank you EJ. Yes, it's like they feel "cheated." They're saying. "I got all this privilege but now you're telling me that this one thing, which I can actually do my best to hide, is going to keep me back? No way!" It's grotesque.
*bow
This article describes Glenn Greenwald to perfection.
I have friends who fit this and I hate it.
Michael, it totally blows me away, but, unfortunately we can't be surprised because of the oppression we have always had to deal with and the deep rooted feeling that we are less than others. Years of trying to put the gay genie back in the bottle has caused a majority of the self-esteem issues that we sometimes face, I think. It was great to hear you and Noah Michelson from HuffPost discussing this!