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Brown, Rita Mae \
Lesbian-Feminist Writer
Five years ago, a young woman sat down at her
typewriter. Behind her was- eleven years of political
organizing and conciousness-raising. Much of her energy
had been devoted exclusively to the gay women’s movement,
leaving little time- for writing
anything but political theories
and statements. Those years were
one of change and growth. She
had journeyed from male-
dominated gay liberation groups,
to straight-dominated women’s
liberation groups, to revolution
ary lesbian communes and
collectives.
But something drove her to her
typewriter, something clawing at
her insides. The result was the
Rubyfruit Jungle, a marvelous
book which has become an underground best seller. It was
published by an independent feminist press and sold over
70,000 copies without publicity. Now Bantam Books is
releasing a mass-produced version and sales promise to sky
rocket, taking Rita Mae along. She is, in short, a Lesbian
Superstar. She is loved and hated. People react on a gut level
to her book, swooning like young teenagers at a rock
concert. One friend told me,“Rita Mae! There is no way i
could explain how much she means to me!” When I read the
book I, too, was enchanted, falling under her spell of warmth
and humor. The book gave me a two-day high. It made me
laugh out loud on the MARTA bus.
The star of Rubyfruit Jungle, the amazing Molly Bolt, is
unphased when her mother tells her that she is a bastard. “I
don’t care. It makes no difference where I come from. I’m
here ain’t I?”
,A.nd later when her cousin Leroy calls her a queer, she
replies: “What goddam difference does it make to you what I
do?”
When Leroy confesses to his own same-sex affair, she
comforts, “Keep doing it, if it makes you feel good” and
“You are for sure getting yourself screwed on rules other
people make.” •
In short, she is undaunted. She believes in herself.
James: Are you Molly Bolt?
Rita Mae: No, she’s a nicer version of me.
James: What do you think of the labeling “gay novelist” and
“gay books?”
Rita Mae: I think it’s destructive and I think it will be years
befiore those labels are removed...’cause that’s what our
oppression is all about.
James: Why was your book published by Daughters?
Rita Mae: Well, nobody wanted it. People were awful...I
made the rounds with it and finally June (of Daughters) said,
“Let me see it...” cause we knew each other from the early
days of the movement.
James: Have things changed?
Rita Mae: Yes, for me it has...I think it’s changed somewhat
for all of uslwho are gay or feminists...but I think times are
changing faster than our enemies want and slower than we
want.
JameS: You said once that men and women can’t work
together for gay liberation. Do you still feel that way?
Rita Mae: I think it’s changing, but I think the burden is on
gay' men to-become feminists and understand women’s
lives... And more and more men are doing that, but I think it
is still very difficult to work together on political action.
I think that men who are feminists may have to do what we
had to do in the early gay wopien’s movement, which is to
create conciousness-raising groups and try to break down
the old attitudes. It’s painful and it involves a lot of
emotional committment and that’s real hard for men to do
because traditionally men are not taught how to deal with
their emotions. Now I think that’s an important issue for gay
men. With women it’s a lot easier. On the other hand, one of
the advantages of being male is you’re used to organization
and you’re used to representing yourselves.
James: Do you think there can be sex without roles?
Rita Mae: Sure.
James: A lot of people claim roles and fantasy are necessary.
Rita Mae: I guess people say that because they can’t handle
reality, cause reality is sure plain good enough for me.
James: Do you think culture, books like yours, are just as
important to the movement as say, national lobbying?
Rita Mae: Sure. It’s an old story. There’s all kinds of ways to
reach people. You have to utilize all of them. Art is one way,
legislation another. To put them in conflict with each other is
really dumb. Then you divide your forces.
James: What about Dade County?
Rita Mae: I haven’t lived there for many years, so...people
have to realize that southern. Florida—well a lot of older
people are living there. They are probably more conservative
than most places. Now I think some of what happened, some
of the burden rests on the gay community...I think the
organizers felt like that because their cause was so just they
couldn’t lose.
James: Do you see the issue of gay rights coming to the
national level?
I November, 1977 The Barb — Page 7
Rita Mae: Yes, at least for % a while. The key point is 40
organize. There s nothing to do but organize. Represent |
yourself to the media, to the public and to the politicians.
This is one reason why I have no problem with mixed groups.
If men can get laws reformed, then that will obviously mean a
. lot to gay women. But the gay movement has got to learn to
care about other issues, and that way we will get support from
other movements.
•* ;• . u.' ' a
It’s time to stand up for some legislation which is not gay
but will help gay people, like the ERA. When they have a
march for the ERA gay people should support it, you win a 1
lot of friends that way. You put more bodies on the line.
There’s no substitute for time and a lot of work, you’ve got
to care. This is not something that will be done in a few
I months.
James: Is rape an issue gay men should get involved in?
Rita Mae: Absolutely. A generation of men refused to fight
| in the war in Viet Nam. There’s a war going on in America
'called rape and that same generation is not doing a
| goddamed thing. j
James: I think it is obvious that the attitude straight men *
have toward gay men is the same attitude they really have
towards women. The man that will rape a woman will beat
up a queer.
Rita Mae: I agree. It’s the same sign of contempt.
James: What do you think about the hyper-active Sexual
lifestyle of most gay men?
Rita Mae: I think it depends on how you do it. Sex can be a
drug just like heroin, and I think an awful lot of men are just
out for the physical high...they don’t realize they are literally
destroying the emotional content of their life...they’ve
become a junkie of sorts.
James: There seems to be a lot of gay people who have
crippled lives, and these same people are the ones who will .
tell you gay people are not oppressed.
Rita Mae: One of the hardest things to realize is that you are
not going to reach everyone, this can be frustrating, it can
really hurt bad, but it’s the way things are and it’s not good to
get too hung up about it.
I think one of the really wonderful things about our
movement is that we don’t want to hurt anybody...Our
movement involves a lot of humanity and a lot of caring.
James: Any last remarks?
Rita Mae: No matter how bad things get, keep your sense of
humor...People take themselves so seriously that they have
no life left...we can work for political freedom and still laugh.
And I also hope to get to come to Atlanta because I like the
South...I’m trying to put myself in Virginia, I really belong to
: the South. So you tell all those Georgia folks they’re in the
j right place! ^ ! -James Moore J
by Tom Oosterhoudt
Is there possibly a show too hot for Atlanta'
Judging from two arsons surrounding hei
openings, Brandy Lee just might be. Brandy Lee
has a unique act, at least fW the Atlanta crowd.
She is a female impersonator who sings live, with
sex people in her band and back-up group.
Bom on the island of Oahu in Hawaii, Brand)
got her start in entertaining at the Glade fifteen
years ago when she was twenty. She worked at the
Glade for about six years and then moved to the
mainland and worked at the Redwood Room in
L.A., where entertainers such as Jim Bailey and
Michael Greer got-started. Eventually she worked
at all the major night spots on the West-Coast and
started the Cabaret After Dark circuit in San
Francisco, which ended up in Boston. From there
she went on to appear in such cities as Portland,
Manhattan, Province Town, and now hopefully
Atlanta. She became familiar with some of us a
few years back when she won Miss David. I had
been asked several questions about Brandy and
hope that they will be answered in the following
interview:
Tom: First of all, how have the tragic fires you
have experienced here in Atlanta affected you?
Brandy: The fires have been discouraging, they
hurt a lot of my plans, since they both threw my
schedule of engagements off.
Tom: How have you lived in the meantime
between engagements?
Brandy: The Magic Garden people have given me
a roof over my head and food to eat, but needless
to say that’s not as good as getting my usual salary.
Tom: Another question many people ask is why,
after ten years of having breast implants and living
as a woman with your beautiful long hair, haVq
you not had a sex change? ; ,
Brandy Lee is Hot
Brandy: When I was youuger, I considered having
a change and that’s when I got my implants, but
my experiences taught me later that there was a lot
more to being a woman than just the physical
aspects.
Mentally I decided that I just could not identify
totally as a woman. But I needed the visual effect
of being a woman to carry off my act on stage. So
to me, my appearance is more or less a costume for
my show.
I see myself as a female impersonator who has
carried out my look to the limit with my hair and
breasts. If I appeared as a man, I would look silly
with my feminine voice and mannerisms. And by
the way, I enjoy a very happy sex life as I am now.
So I definately would not consider a sex change
since I am so unsure of the future.
Tom: How would you personally evaluate the gay
entertainment scene in Atlanta?
Brandy: It is definately dominated by pantomime
drag, which is probably the most economical form
of entertainment for the bar owners since all the
female impersonators have to do is throw on a
record. Acts like mine are expensive. I, for
example, have six people in my band and back-up
group. The also requires a complete sound system.
There are many bar owners who obviously cannot
afford live acts for this reason.
Tom: Just how do you feel about pantomime drag
since you work only live?
Brandy: Pantomime drag is really borrowing
someone else’s talent. When someone
pantomimes, there is no way to tell if the audience
is applauding the drag performer or the actual
recording artist. Of course I know that there are
two sides to thi*. If pantomime is used to create
something unique, or used in a humorous vein, it
can be considered legitimate entertainment.
Tom: Would you say there needs to be more
variety in the gay night spots in Atlanta?
Brandy: Yes, whether it be magic acts, puppet
shows, plays, or live singing acts like my own, the
bars need to be more progressive, entertainment
wise. I realize the Atlanta crowd has been
conditioned to pantomime drag for so long that
acts like mine take some time getting used to.
Atlanta should try to move ahead though, since
the South seems to be about three years behind the
rest of the country in gay entertaiment
Brandy Lee reopens at Garden Oct. 26
t ■
Drags 9 Queen
by Tom Oosterhoudt
On Tuesday, October 11, Shirley Bassey
made her first appearance in Atlanta to a
capacity crowd at the fabulous Fox Theatre.
Although I am not known for being generous
with compliments, in Ms. Bassey’s case I must
make an exception. In these days of such
sophisticated recording technology, it is truly
rare to hear someone like Ms. Bassey who
sounds even better in person than she does on -
her records. Supported by a thirty-six piece
orchestra, Ms. Bassey’s voice was sensationally
clear and vibrant, with fantastically rich tones.
Almost every number she did got a standing
ovation. Her unique style, phrasing, and
diction established a rapport with the audience
that lasted throughout the evening. She started
off with “Goldfinger” and treated the crowd
with such favorites as “Big Spender”, “Never,
Never, Never”, “What I Did for Love”, and of
course “This Is My Life.” On the final encore,
she left us with “The Party’s Over.”
Hits Hot-lanta
I cap only describe Ms. Bassey’s stage
j presence as electric. She dislays personality
from ope end of her body to the other. Every
line is accompanied by a simultaneous,
synchronized expression with some part of her
body, whether it was shaking her behind (she
called ‘this getting “cheeky”) or almost dancing
with her head and eyes. Her arm and hand
movements actually beat those of Lady Shawn
and Lady Baronessa. An outfit trimmed with
black bugle beads and feathers accented her
look. The audience was about three-quarters
gay and she kept them in such ecstasy that at
the end of two hours, they were still yelling for
more. It was an unforgettable evening to say
the least.
After the performance we met at Tango’s
.and I had a chance to talk with Ms: Bassey. I
think all her gay fans will be interested in what
she had to say.
Tom: How did you feel about your audience
here in Atlanta since this was your first
performance here?
Shirley: 1 was really overwhelmed, they were
wonderful. I will be back.
Tom: You have such a large gay following,
how do you feel about having so many gay
' fans?
i-Shirley: I just love them all!
Tom: Do you support gay rights?
Shirley: Yes, I think all people have certain
< rights.
Tom: What do you think about Anita Bryant?
1 Shirley: I think she should stick to selling
orange juice.
Tom: There arc many female impersonators
who do impressions of you. What do you think
about that?
Shirley: I have seen some of them, but I have
never seen any that I approve of, since I have
never seen one that looked anything like me.
Tom: You once recorded a song called “All the
Sad Young Men,” was it really about gays?
Shirley: Yes, but they’re not sad anymore.
Tom: Ms. Bassey, thank you for chatting with
me and we’ll all be looking forward to your
next appearand in Atlanta.