Sullivan, A. (2005) The End of Gay Culture THE NEW REPUBLIC, 19/14, 16-21.

Gays are beginning to assimilate. A number of large cities as well as university towns have accepted and assimilated gay people. How did this come about?

AIDS started the discussion. Many gay men from 50 and upward no longer are alive. AIDS not only affected gays but other individuals who were related to a gay family member changed. When tragedy strikes at home, that makes the gay issue a family issue and parents/progeny came to the defense of their relative who was suffering or dying of AIDS.

Numerous prominent movie stars and other famous people came out of the closet. Close behind them were other famous straight people to show their support for the newly arrived gays.

Prominent Conservative politicians’ children also were outed or came out and this raised issues about the relationship between the GOP and the gay community.

The issue is not settled. Evangelicals and others maintain that homosexuality is a choice and can be changed by therapy and religious conversion. However, the overall effect has been that the therapeutic community appears to support that homosexuality is predominantly natural rather than a cultural phenomena.

As gays become accepted, they must also face a much different experience in small towns and certain parts of the country.

The challenge of the gay culture is when to assimilate and when to lay low. However, the culture of secrecy is slowly changing and thus the gay community is also changing. In many areas, the threat of prison and beatings has been reduced.