" 'He lieth, for his name is Shame,
But I am Love, and I was wont to be
Alone in this fair garden, till he came
Unasked by night; I am true Love, I fill
The hearts of boy and girl with mutual flame.'
Then sighing, said the other, 'Have thy will,
I am the Love that dare not speak its name.' "
With these words, Lord Alfred Douglas, the man who has been the lover of the Irish author Oscar Wilde finishes his poem Two Loves. This very poem ended up being used against him during the trial that was bound to change his life radically, and considered a traditional euphimism of homosexual love.
These verses were written many years ago and published in 1894 and while no one can claim that things haven't changed since then (at least nobody in the western world, undergoes trials for sodomism), on a level of humane understanding or in theory self-evident human rights, not much has changed.
The reason for this text was a walk in Athens. Two people walking around the streets of the historical centre, trying to enjoy each other. Reactions are various when you dare to show your "difference" and since I consider it important to recognise what is positive, I shall begin with that.
In a traditional tavern in the area of Thision (we call it "koutouki" in Greece), a clearly straight oriented establishment nobody pays any attention and that exactly is what the point should be. We do not expect to be cheered when we get out. We haven't asked to be seen hugging and listen to people remarking on how sweet it is. We do expect however the same decent treatment as any other couple does. I do not want to be in trouble every time that I hold the hand of the man that I like. That was the case in that shop. It wasn't a big deal and "way to go" for them.
But somewhere at that point normal reactions ended and we started experiencing some sort of an absurd theater. And I am talking about absurdity, not because of strange glares from heterosexual couples while we were holding hands, not even because when we stopped to kiss underneath the Acropolis in a narrow and dark alley some youths in a car started "booing" and calling us fags even though they were quite further away. No, these were not what annoyed me most because no matter how much I may crave acceptance, it is partially anicipated that people will persecute what is different. I am not aware weather this is some sort of fear or the sense of belonging, being part of the pact that commands ostracizing the ones who do not conform or plainly are not part of the group, but it is something that some of us are really trying to change (I have already commented more on the matter in another post; English translation pending).
The most intriguing thing is when you are at a place characterised as gay, is set on friendly space (yes I am indeed talking about Rooster in Ag. Irinis square) you kiss, and those bothered are NOT straight, but rather two gay people on a nearby table, who discuss quite freely about those who have hit on them on Romeo (who are by the way absolutely horrible according to the aforementioned people) but being "hungry" as they were keep on fishing from the gutter, blaming you at the same instance for being an unattractive sight because you kiss the man you love in public, EVEN THOUGH (and I insist on that) you are not nice enough according to their standards! Since, as they put it, that kind of thing happens in Mykonos too, but there men are models. Thus, they eventually reached the condescending conclusion that "Oh, I suppose that everyone has a right to love, even if the sight is not attractive...." Ο_ο
And I openly ask you my dear sour sister:
But I am Love, and I was wont to be
Alone in this fair garden, till he came
Unasked by night; I am true Love, I fill
The hearts of boy and girl with mutual flame.'
Then sighing, said the other, 'Have thy will,
I am the Love that dare not speak its name.' "
With these words, Lord Alfred Douglas, the man who has been the lover of the Irish author Oscar Wilde finishes his poem Two Loves. This very poem ended up being used against him during the trial that was bound to change his life radically, and considered a traditional euphimism of homosexual love.
These verses were written many years ago and published in 1894 and while no one can claim that things haven't changed since then (at least nobody in the western world, undergoes trials for sodomism), on a level of humane understanding or in theory self-evident human rights, not much has changed.
The reason for this text was a walk in Athens. Two people walking around the streets of the historical centre, trying to enjoy each other. Reactions are various when you dare to show your "difference" and since I consider it important to recognise what is positive, I shall begin with that.
In a traditional tavern in the area of Thision (we call it "koutouki" in Greece), a clearly straight oriented establishment nobody pays any attention and that exactly is what the point should be. We do not expect to be cheered when we get out. We haven't asked to be seen hugging and listen to people remarking on how sweet it is. We do expect however the same decent treatment as any other couple does. I do not want to be in trouble every time that I hold the hand of the man that I like. That was the case in that shop. It wasn't a big deal and "way to go" for them.
But somewhere at that point normal reactions ended and we started experiencing some sort of an absurd theater. And I am talking about absurdity, not because of strange glares from heterosexual couples while we were holding hands, not even because when we stopped to kiss underneath the Acropolis in a narrow and dark alley some youths in a car started "booing" and calling us fags even though they were quite further away. No, these were not what annoyed me most because no matter how much I may crave acceptance, it is partially anicipated that people will persecute what is different. I am not aware weather this is some sort of fear or the sense of belonging, being part of the pact that commands ostracizing the ones who do not conform or plainly are not part of the group, but it is something that some of us are really trying to change (I have already commented more on the matter in another post; English translation pending).
The most intriguing thing is when you are at a place characterised as gay, is set on friendly space (yes I am indeed talking about Rooster in Ag. Irinis square) you kiss, and those bothered are NOT straight, but rather two gay people on a nearby table, who discuss quite freely about those who have hit on them on Romeo (who are by the way absolutely horrible according to the aforementioned people) but being "hungry" as they were keep on fishing from the gutter, blaming you at the same instance for being an unattractive sight because you kiss the man you love in public, EVEN THOUGH (and I insist on that) you are not nice enough according to their standards! Since, as they put it, that kind of thing happens in Mykonos too, but there men are models. Thus, they eventually reached the condescending conclusion that "Oh, I suppose that everyone has a right to love, even if the sight is not attractive...." Ο_ο
And I openly ask you my dear sour sister:
- Have you got a mirror at home baby or does momma tell you on a daily basis how much her offspring resembles both Brad Pitt and George Clooney, and all that combined with the fiery latin temperament of Antonio Banderas?
- And if we want to talk a bit (just a tiny bit, don't be afraid) seriously, taking for granted that we do have the ability to do that, which is highly questionable, how the hell do you, and all others like you, expect that straight people will ever treat you respectfully if you can't do the same for someone like you? Or did you really believe that being sour and bitchy is what only you do best?
