Wow. So the irony of escaping the ordeal of heteronormativity by going to a Catholic school is delicious, but I was struck in this chapter in particular about how society functioned on its own a sort of secret police, always watching and suspecting, and how queer folks (and this was still true at least up through the 80s for me, and even now in many places) feel like traitors, subversives, saboteurs to the "natural" order. It's heartbreaking, but also, I'm glad you read Sappho first.
Wow. So the irony of escaping the ordeal of heteronormativity by going to a Catholic school is delicious, but I was struck in this chapter in particular about how society functioned on its own a sort of secret police, always watching and suspecting, and how queer folks (and this was still true at least up through the 80s for me, and even now in many places) feel like traitors, subversives, saboteurs to the "natural" order. It's heartbreaking, but also, I'm glad you read Sappho first.
Ah, Sappho was a …that was one of my first affirming books too. I had forgotten about it! Thank you for the memory and the story. A poignant telling.