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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.