The Pandemic Isnt Over Just Because You're Over It

I don't think he has any idea how often I think about that correction. He didn't moderate his tone or worry about embarrassing me; he was harsh in how he said it and did so in front of others. He knew he was right and there was no good reason to coddle my feelings. I appreciate that, because it make me take it seriously and really reflect on it. I already knew that you could use drugs without becoming addicted (I have) and that you could be addicted to something and have that addiction not be a problem (I have had a physical dependency on drugs which were a net positive for me to use). Yet, despite knowing that, when I was doing advocacy work I was defaulting to language with fucked up implications. Partially to seem respectable and partially because I was mentally distancing myself from other drug users.

I was thinking about him again today, and how he's permanently changed the way I speak about drug use when I do activism. He's had a knock-on effect, for every person I reach, and I'm sure he has done the same thing with many other people he's corrected.

Long dandelions in overwintered grass - Paula von Goeschen-Rösler

German , 1875-1941

Golp: a roundel purpure.

Roundels are circles in heraldry. They are named according to their color, which also has its own lingo. Let’s meet them!

Bezant: roundel or (gold) 🟡

Plate: roundel argent (silver) ⚪️

Torteau: roundel gules (red) 🔴

Pomme: roundel vert (green) 🟢

Hurt: roundel azure (blue) 🔵

Golp: roundel purpure (purple) 🟣

Pellet: roundel sable (black) ⚫️

Picture from the Photographer Kalynn Youngblood, in her series Staged Portraiture and Documenting daily Black Life.

The documentary includes a brief clip of a 1954 televised newscast about the rise of homosexuality. The host of the program interviewed psychologists, a police officer, and one “known homosexual”. The “known homosexual” is 22 years old. He identifies himself as Curtis White, which is a pseudonym; his name is actually Dale Olson.

So I tracked down the newscast. According to what I can find, Dale Olson may have been the first gay man to appear openly on television and defend his sexual orientation. He explains that there’s nothing wrong with him mentally and he’s never been arrested. When asked whether he’d take a cure if it existed, he says no. When asked whether his family knows he’s gay, he says that they didn’t up until tonight, but he guesses they’re going to find out, and he’ll probably be fired from his job as well. So of course the host is like …why are you doing this interview then? and Dale Olson, cool as cucumber pie, says “I think that this way I can be a little useful to someone besides myself.”

1954. 22 years old. Balls of pure titanium.

Despite the pseudonym, Dale’s boss did indeed recognize him from the TV program, and he was promptly fired the next day. He wrote into ONE magazine six months later to reassure readers that he had gotten a new job at a higher salary.

Curious about what became of him, I looked into his life a little further. It turns out that he ultimately became a very successful publicity agent. He promoted the Rocky movies and Superman. Not only that, but get this: Dale represented Rock Hudson, and he was the person who convinced him to disclose that he had AIDS! He wrote the statement Rock read. And as we know, Rock Hudson’s disclosure had a very significant effect on the national conversation about AIDS in the U.S.

happy new year -------------_--------------------