Anyone ever read "Closets of Power?"

[wholetruth00]

Lengthy article appeared in either Harpers or the Atlantic in the late 70's or early 80's.
I read it back then and found it difficult to believe that so many influential politician and government officials were closet gays and how organized they are. In the last couple of years I have become a believer. I tried to locate this article several times without any success but it is a real eye-opener. The one thing I remember most about the article was that the politcos who bash gays the most were likely closet gays who use the gay bashing to earn visibility and high positions. They often worked as high level staff to religious right-wingers, garnered access to high level politicians, were included in the inner circles, and amassed great wealth and influence and laughed all the way to the bank about how stupid the homophobes were. At the time I read the article I felt like most of it was fiction...but lately...it all makes so much sense. I sure would like to find the article again. What I agree with most is that the homophobes are really stupid and are among some of the most evil people in our society. And they don't even know how often they eat, sleep, and rant with someone who is gay.

[whistle]

1. It is true that one is as sick as one's secrets

[Bad Penny]

2. Another parallel to the nazis

More than a few of those bastards were the twisted variety of closet gays too. Goering flaunted it to some degree openly, but he no doubt enjoyed gassing homosexuals all the same.

[tenshi816]

3. There's a book called

Queer in America: Sex, the Media, and the Closets of Power. Could the article you read be an excerpt from that, maybe?

[wholetruth00]

4. Not sure. The author identified himself as a gay Capital Hill staffer.

He was pretty influential and discussed some color coded and handkerchief placement as recognized gay codes. It was an amazing article big expose at the time.

[tenshi816]

5. No, I don't think it's the same one then.

I'd love to read the article you're talking about. If you're successful at finding it, would you mind letting me know? Thanks.

[wholetruth00]

6. It must be archived somewhere...or scrubbed. nt

[Hekate]

7. Check with a Reference Librarian at a good library

She (or he) can direct you to the microfilm and microfiche collections for periodicals and show you how to search. For something that old, that would be the best way to find it if you haven't located it online (which may be where you've been looking).

Hekate

[wholetruth00]

8. Found it. Article was in Harper Magazine, October 1982.

Going to order it to refresh my memory.