I hate gay men because women are always using them as proof that the rest of us COULD be neat, clean, polite, fashionable and all the other things they want us to be.

Gay women? Well, we have the same interests.

Yes, this is a very bad example.
It wasnt a problem you heard about because no one was shouting.
No, as long as it was unknown it usually was acceptable. The closet was opened with the riots at Stonewall, and the gay rights movement of the 70s has had a profound effect and still does battling stupid laws that deny basic human rights. The battles still exist, but they are on the table and challenged. And some have been loud and very sucessful. I think the conservative/religious right is temporarily flaring, as happens during war, but this progress will not be stopped.

What you are arguing with Kennedy is the evolution of the forms and information content of the media of the 60's which, as you know, were totally different than the surveillance of today. Life magazine verses Geraldo. in other words, what Bruce sez. ;) (thats not a wink, its a spastic lid- wait does that smilie exist?!)