net.motss

[uucp]

Summary of newsgroup net.motss by
Mike Simpson (msimpson@bbncca.{arpa.uucp})
June 12-23, 1984, 45 articles covered

Several 'controversial' items sparked a relative flood
of letters. (Keep 'em coming, folks!)

* Homosexuality as a 'different' human instinct (5 letters)
* 'is being gay OK?' (8 letters)
* 'how do gay people justify their behavior to others'
(12 letters)
* how do gay people handle interactions with the opposite
sex/would you 'take a pill' that would make you
heterosexual? (4 letters)

Also of interest:
* Review of books on sexually transmitted diseases
* Reports from Gay Pride marches in Boston, New York,
San Francisco and San Jose CA
* are homosexuals happy or unfulfilled?
* Christianity and its 'implications ' for homosexuality
* should we have an informal 'gay Dear Abby' service?
* in what manner(s) should gays make themselves
'known' to straights?

[uucp]

Summary of newsgroup: net.motss for June 25-July 1, 1984.
by Mike Simpson ( msimpson@bbncca.{arpa, uucp} )
53 articles covered

Several long-standing discussions have continued apace this week,
and a couple of new items have begun to filter in.

* A request for 'perspective' from the gay contributors to
the newsgroup was made. This produced several letters,
some questioning the attitude of the contributor, others
taking a more positive approach to the questions asked.

* 'Fundaphobia' (aversion to homosexuality based on
religious/spiritual grounds) went 8-10 rounds this week.
The general tenor of the letters showed a nice bell curve.

* Several 'political' items were discussed:
- 'militant' homosexuality
- lesbianism as a sociopolitical statement
- gay rights movement being equated with
Black/women's rights
- are some feminist lesbians guilty of a 'double
standard'?

* Homosexuality as a moral issue is still being
discussed. Other 'holdover' topics still under
discussion include:
- 'inherent rights' of homosexuals
(do they exist, and if so, how
are they defined?)
- homosexuality and pedophilia
- political reasons for coming out
- 'categorization' of homosexuals
- is the newsgroup becoming a forum
for defense instead of discussion?

New topics:

* A letter was posted to 'gay Dear Abby', describing
a less-than-pleasant living relationship and asking
for advice. Several responses occurred.
* The Unitarian-Universalist Association has voted to
sanction/affirm gay marriages.
* Note on the New York Gay Pride march.
* Sex definitions in childhood: developmental psychology
and gender.