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COUNTERCULTURE
Out of All Time
The following are excerpts from Out of All Time: A Gay and Lesbian History, a
collection of 50 vignettes of both well-known and lesser-known gay and lesbian historical
figures. Out of All Time will be released December 1st by Alyson Publications, Inc.,
Boston, MA, $6.95 paperback.
Lawrence of Arabia
Thomas Edward Lawrence was bom in
England in 1888 and grew up during the
height of the British Empire. While a
student at Oxford, he immersed himself first
in the Medieval period and then in the
ancient world. It was through his study of
the classics that he first came into contact
with Middle Eastern culture.
In 1911, while on an archeological
expedition, Lawrence met a fourteen year-
old boy named Salim Achmed (nicknamed
"Dahoum") at Carchemish. Dahoum was
sensitive and handsome, and Lawrence fell
deeply in love with him. When Lawrence
returned to England with Dahoum, their
relationship was hardly noticed. Because
Dahoum was an Arab, the English assumed
he was Lawrence's servant.
World War II began in 1914 and
Lawrence was sent to lead the Arabs against
the Turks. He was captured in November
1917 and beaten by a Turkish governor for
refusing his sexual demands. Lawrence
later wrote that after the twentieth blow "a
delicious warmth, probably sexual" had
surged through his body and made him
relax. This beating left a lasting
psychological scar on Lawrence. He
wondered how it might affect his
relationship with Dahoum, but he never
found out. During his absence, his lover
had died of typhus.
Lawrence's memoirs, entitled The Seven
Pillars of Wisdom, are dedicated to "S.A.,"
which aroused a good deal of speculation. It
is now generally thought that "S.A." stood
for Salim Achmed.
Willa Cather
Willa Cather was born in Virginia in
1873 and grew up in Red Cloud, Nebraska.
She rebelled at an early age against her
surroundings. Her family was tolerant of
her behavior, thinking that it was only a
phase. Their tolerance was strained,
however, when she asked to be called
William. She further proclaimed in her high
school yearbook that her favorite form of
amusement was vivisection and the greatest
wonder in the world was a good-looking
woman.
At the University of Nebraska Willa
discovered writing, but soon decided she
needed the excitement and the intellectual
stimulation of a large city. She chose to live
in Pittsburgh where she met the first great
love of her life, Isabelle McCIung, the
daughter of a prominent Pittsburgh family.
Feeling constrained by the dullness of
life in Pittsburgh, Cather accepted the offer
of a position at McClures Magazine in New
York. Isabelle begged Cather to stay, and
Cather begged Isabelle to join her in New
York. Isabelle could not imagine leaving
her home, so Cather left for New York
alone in 1905.
Just after her arrival in New York, Cather
met Edith Lewis, also a Nebraska native,
who lived in the same building as Cather on
Washington Square. Cather and Lewis did
Suleiman who had no real desire to rule.
Ibrahim's new-found power corrupted his
values and he soon rejected some of
Suleiman's most cherished ideas.
In 1534, hearing a rumor that Ibrahim
was plotting to take over the empire,
Suleiman summoned Ibrahim to dinner.
After eating, the two went to the sultan’s
bedroom. The next morning, slaves found
the walls streaked with blood and Ibrahim's
naked body, which had be strangled with
bowstring, lying face down on the bed.
Suleiman refused to allow the walls to be
cleaned and the stains remained until his
death.
For Love and
For Life Returns!
Recipes for the creative life;
remove safety belts,
plug loopholes, burn down
safe retreats,
get reborn often, compose like
a frolicsome child,,
and never ask the end.
James Broughton
James writes poetry and makes films in
southern California. He won't be in Atlanta
this December to see For Love and For
Life 11, but the creative spirit that is central
to his life and work definitely infuses
SAME'S latest production. The original FL
& EL-which critics called "incredibly
brave" and "...a shining example of art
taking an active role in the process of social
change." FL & FL premiered in September
1987 at the Alternate ROOTS Festival and
went on to play to cheering houses at
Lavita's and the Peachtree Playhouse.
The theme of that FL &.FL was the
October '87 March on Washington and the
role of gays and lesbians as history makers
in the past and present. This edition focuses
on holiday celebration and the families that
lesbians and gay men have created. FL&FL
irs creator, writer, director Rebecca Ranson
says, "We wanted to create a play, a holiday
ritual, that would honor and celebrate the
unique relationships that many of us have
created..."
For Love and For Life ITs cast numbers
37; professional performers, amateurs, and
those who have never acted before join
together to create characters as diversified as
the community they represent. Ten actors
will continue to develop roles they created
in the '87 production; eight of the
performers appeared in Ranson's Higher
Ground.Voices of Aids.
Describing the process that she uses to
create plays such as FL & FL, Ranson says,
"I really don't write these plays. We gather
PAMELA COLE
Art imitates life. Tia Nikolopoulas and
Candace Wiggins, friends in real life,
portray lovers Jo and Grace in For
Love and For Life II.
some people who want to act - strong
willed, opinionated people - and then I
write some words. People take the words,
read them and come back to me with their
own ideas. We discuss the ideas and find
ways to incorporate them. Inherent in our
process is a group mission, a collective need
to make and share a play."
That play is a sometimes funny,
sometimes sad and always honest and
affectionate portrayal of the way we live,
love and celebrate our lives. Make plans
now to see it.
Performances of For Love and For Life
II are December 1 through December 18,
Thursdays-Saturdays at 8pm and Sundays
at 5pm, at Onstage Atlanta, 420 Courtland
Street. Tickets are $10 and are available
at Charis Books and More, 419 Moreland
Avenue or by calling SAME at 584-2104.
The Sunday, December 4 performance is a
benefit for Project Open Hand.
-Gary Kaupman
Sharon J. Sanders
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Welcomes the Gay Community
11:30 AM Mass
Dignity/ Atlanta
564-8710
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