What a fabulous post Susie!! To say it was a time of innocence is of course a misnomer, but as you note about OOB’s first reactions to the ads, it was one of a lot more honesty than one might find now. And while I wasn’t putting myself in an ad they were always fun to read. Really liked how you included the conversation about safe sex too, as basically no one was doing anything about it for lesbians, and so of course WE did! (You may remember the ‘Dammit’. That took some three dimensional thinking as I recall. ) You also managed to really capture the sense of adventure and discovery from back in the day in this post. At least something hit a nerve for me. And of course thank you for including that photo of me. I have it in my hallway in fact. I look 12 years old-hah! ❤️
Strange not to see 'long walks on the beach' mentioned. Did lesbians not like the beach? The gay guys advertising in the Village Voice were all about taking long walks on the beach. That and no fats, no fems, etc.
Whenever you travel back to the 1980s in your Time Machine, I’m right there with you. I remember the OOB ads and how fun they were to read!! I got way too much play (what can I say) to ever consider answering - much less posting - one myself, but I do recall seeing the “no heavy drugs” criteria (it popped up often) in the hardcore partying days of the 80s and wondering “what the fuck does that actually mean?” LOL
Yeah, good point. I shoulda said something about that for those who wonder… at the time, the heavy drugs were coke, crack, heroin (the real thing! Not fentynel!). And poppers, especially with dudes.
It was very much focused around the bar scene, the clubs, which were the center of the community. We miss it now, terribly. There were the bummer aspects too. It was our ghetto with all the self-care absence, fear, closet, etc.
I bet you remember that one time, it was on the front page, that a bad batch of black tar swept through the city and killed a dozen or so people before the word got out. Our little Bethie, Elizabeth Burns, who used to run the door at the Baybrick. I couldn’t believe it. Open casket. Barely pulled it off. We had to do everything because her parents couldn’t accept it.
It was also a time when “gay AA” and Gay NA became huge… the party pendulum clock swung big time.
As for as heavy, I think people were saying, “I drink and smoke pot. Maybe a little something for Xmas. But I’m done with the wall-to-wall lifestyle.” And who knows… the gap between saying and doing….
Oh Susie this so brought back memories. I was reminded that in the late 1980s when I taught Queer Politics at UCSC, one of the class assignments was writing a personal ad to run in the Good Times (because they were free to run there). It was a great exercise to do and to talk about.
Yes! Male, straight,Exiting a three decade sexless church marriage, I found a hot Santa Cruz poet/nurse on The Goodtimes personals! She gave me my first ever three finger talking sex ed tour within her vagina, cervex, The Great Down There! Oh, my. Church was never like this!
Yes, they were run anonymously! I saved them of course. They are part of the materials I donated to University of Southern Maine's Special Collections. The discussions about the assignment were great - people really wrestling with thinking through their desires and expressing them.
I have a few photos from that NYC fundraiser if you'd like them. Was hilarious how no one dared pulled the dancer's boots off despite her waving her foot in the air. Training required.
What a fabulous post Susie!! To say it was a time of innocence is of course a misnomer, but as you note about OOB’s first reactions to the ads, it was one of a lot more honesty than one might find now. And while I wasn’t putting myself in an ad they were always fun to read. Really liked how you included the conversation about safe sex too, as basically no one was doing anything about it for lesbians, and so of course WE did! (You may remember the ‘Dammit’. That took some three dimensional thinking as I recall. ) You also managed to really capture the sense of adventure and discovery from back in the day in this post. At least something hit a nerve for me. And of course thank you for including that photo of me. I have it in my hallway in fact. I look 12 years old-hah! ❤️
I love you, Kathy. I always want to know where to link your “name” when I mention you, if you have a favorite spot.
Someday you have to send me your current aged eminence grise look… ;-)
Thank you Susie!!! Such praise! I will think about the link.
Strange not to see 'long walks on the beach' mentioned. Did lesbians not like the beach? The gay guys advertising in the Village Voice were all about taking long walks on the beach. That and no fats, no fems, etc.
Whenever you travel back to the 1980s in your Time Machine, I’m right there with you. I remember the OOB ads and how fun they were to read!! I got way too much play (what can I say) to ever consider answering - much less posting - one myself, but I do recall seeing the “no heavy drugs” criteria (it popped up often) in the hardcore partying days of the 80s and wondering “what the fuck does that actually mean?” LOL
Yeah, good point. I shoulda said something about that for those who wonder… at the time, the heavy drugs were coke, crack, heroin (the real thing! Not fentynel!). And poppers, especially with dudes.
It was very much focused around the bar scene, the clubs, which were the center of the community. We miss it now, terribly. There were the bummer aspects too. It was our ghetto with all the self-care absence, fear, closet, etc.
I bet you remember that one time, it was on the front page, that a bad batch of black tar swept through the city and killed a dozen or so people before the word got out. Our little Bethie, Elizabeth Burns, who used to run the door at the Baybrick. I couldn’t believe it. Open casket. Barely pulled it off. We had to do everything because her parents couldn’t accept it.
It was also a time when “gay AA” and Gay NA became huge… the party pendulum clock swung big time.
As for as heavy, I think people were saying, “I drink and smoke pot. Maybe a little something for Xmas. But I’m done with the wall-to-wall lifestyle.” And who knows… the gap between saying and doing….
Oh Susie this so brought back memories. I was reminded that in the late 1980s when I taught Queer Politics at UCSC, one of the class assignments was writing a personal ad to run in the Good Times (because they were free to run there). It was a great exercise to do and to talk about.
Yes! Male, straight,Exiting a three decade sexless church marriage, I found a hot Santa Cruz poet/nurse on The Goodtimes personals! She gave me my first ever three finger talking sex ed tour within her vagina, cervex, The Great Down There! Oh, my. Church was never like this!
-Dan in Copperopolis CA
Oh, how fun. You did them anonymously? I would love to hear the discussion.
Yes, they were run anonymously! I saved them of course. They are part of the materials I donated to University of Southern Maine's Special Collections. The discussions about the assignment were great - people really wrestling with thinking through their desires and expressing them.
Thanks for this bit of history. I glad to hear that Good Times had some upside after taking over from the San Francisco Express Times.
I have a few photos from that NYC fundraiser if you'd like them. Was hilarious how no one dared pulled the dancer's boots off despite her waving her foot in the air. Training required.
Oh please, SEND! Yes, the Manhattan lesbians were so timid and wide-eyed!
Susie, this post about OOB reminds me of a novel I read recently titled Beings by Ilana Masad. If you haven’t heard about, I think you would enjoy it.
I’ll look it up.