LAMBDA vol. 1 no. 2
PAGE FIUE
October, 1976
HOMOSEXUAL MATRIX (continued)
might hav/e been a chapter on the gay liberation movement which
reached its peak during the middle of Tripp’s ten year project
(and did a lot to create a climate amenable to the finan-cial
success of Tripp's book). Surprisingly, gay liberation is
given a quick aside,
Tripp's style is urbane and clever. However, he fails
at what he set out to do. The book is anything but a matrix,
more a plug for "respectable homosexuality" without rocking
the boat. To obtain a true matrix, try reading Tripp in
conjunction with Kate Millett's SEXUAL POLITICS and Dennis
Altman's HOMOSEXUAL." LIBERATION AND OPPRESSION. After reading
Millett, no one can unquestioningly accept anything that a
man writes about males and females, sexual roles and "the way
it is." Much of what Tripp writes about the psychology of
straight and gay men and women is seen with its patriarchal
clothing stripped away, once we look with Millet's eyes.
The most salient contrast between Tripp and Altman lies
in their respective solution to the homosexual's struggle in
a hostile environment. Vihere Altman stresses the development
of"resistance and consciousness, Tripp lauds the socially
intergrated homosexual who handles hostility with clever
retorts, always "retaining his spontanaiety and avoiding
flagrant confrontations." This is cut from the same cloth as
the male psychiatrists who tell women who have been "fucked
over'’ oy pacriarchy that they: must learn to adjust,' not' resist.
Altman notes, "it is a strange paradox that homosexuals, who
suffer from the opprobrium of respectable society, are often
its most stalwart defenders,"
METROPOLITAN COMMUNITY CHURCH
The Metropolitan Community Church (MCC) has recently
given recognition to a local study group in the Triangle
Area, St, John's MCC of Raleigh (Study Group) meets every
Sunday for worship at 3 PM at the Presbyterian Church Student
Center on the North Carolina State Campus, The church is
located just down from the intersection of Horn Street and
Hillsborough Street,
The group also meets once during the week for Bible
studies and discussions.
If you would like to make a contribution to LAMBDA, send
your articles or ideas to Box 39, Carolina Student Union.