Time period post : Homosexuals
Requested! I had a bit of a rough start finding spots for research but I hope this provides a much more well rounded image. Like everything in life there’s nuance between the extremes of closet or activist.
Another part is that everyone’s focus historically seems to be LA or New York which are both very particular scenes. Big city life in general is not universal and that applies here too.
Codes, language and signals-
I’ve talked about zines in my last posts and will a little further here, but another bit is public communication… simply coded. Personal ads in the paper with select language and euphemisms as an example. In some cases a whole language of code, mannerisms and expressions! (Like a lot of things pre internet, very location specific in a lot of cases) The power of plausible deniability cannot be understated.
There’s a lot of trial and error trying to find similar people, it could be said to the wrong person at the wrong time or it could take a long time to find someone similar. Some sources describe it as “an overlap between sexuality and mentorship” where a (sometimes) older guy shows the basics, introduces terms and to friends or more… sometimes it’s not code at all just being “clocked” by someone with the same proclivities/sexuality. Ways to keep safe are also shared amongst eachother, staying closeted etc.
A good thing to keep in mind is codes weren’t this wide universally known thing- the hanky code particularly is like wildfire all over tumblr and leads people to ignore context. These codes were very localized one color could mean something else in a whole different city and two— it’s a secret signal, the reason it works is because it blends in with common enough fashion trend. Bandana in pocket = gay would be both insane and dangerous.
Public perception-
The opinions of the public ranged wildly even then, sometimes even smaller towns could be quietly accepting if there were a few “known” people in the area. This however does not exactly translate to being fully open/displaying affection. In other cases you’ll have people railing that it’s “perverse” —Ridicule, judgement, blackmail, mistreatment and sometimes even violence.
The best bet is to stay in the closet or to not publicly act too “gay” (though at the time this was still more associated with happy than homosexual). Interestingly sometimes there were guides that I’ve seen described as “gay green book” for certain places it was safe to be open. Perception was changing ever so slightly in this period, while it was always more accepted in art circles, a lot of flamboyant media became a bit popular. In more “progressive” situations, like a semi accepting small town the general run is you can make by alright as long as you don’t act like/on it. The Hayes code was also ending around this time leading to wild and freer than ever expression in movies and media. People were opening up a bit more, but there was still a particular religious fervor to keep in mind as well — being nice to Frank who runs the store doesn’t get rid of a lot of cruel stuff or being the butt of constant jokes.
In 1968 homosexaulity (called something else formally) was added to the DSM as a mental disorder, and while by 1973 most common thought turned against it - it was not removed until the 1986. Shock therapy and conversion therapy were common “treatment” attempts. Added to “it’s ok as long as you don’t act on it/act like it” It was criminalized in several states across the country, particularly gay sex via Anti-Sodomy laws — which is way there’s raids or crack downs on certain bars or known hot spots. But what should also be said is just because something is on the books doesn’t necessarily mean many agree with it/charge it.
Going to be brief here as it’s not the point and won’t exactly be relevant to any of the characters but there was a rise in gay rights/liberation movements in this period as well.
Associations-
There’s not a lot of gay bars in Oklahoma, at least not in the early 1960s (some, more notably in OKC would rise in later decades). This sort of gathering place wasn’t really a staple outside those big cities— instead you had parties at homes and apartments if you wanted to meet/hang out with other guys or get touchy openly. (Hate that I feel the need to specify this but social life also exists outside these groups, at regular bars etc. there’s life outside of sexuality and I don’t mean this to sound condescending.)
Outside of parties there’s spots like YMCA’s, which historically have been “cruising” spots (not to be confused with the typical teenage kind) there’s also other Social clubs like Bike clubs.
Some of these, like a lot of motorcycle clubs/gangs, you could all hang out openly but not at the same time. (In some cases you’d have people or whole clubs who are out, in others it’s not)
Photos and media-
“Underground news” really took off in the 1960s ranging from cultural to political, civil rights, environmental, anti-war and Gay and LGBT. These could be as set small newspapers and newsletters, but they were also zines and colums and interest pamphlets. Mostly given out on a street level or having a connection.
There were people who were out at this time and even to varying degrees of acceptance! Depending on where you lived, who was in your life and so on, however this didn’t mean there was the access or mainstream market there is today. When thinking of “skin magazines” there were some slightly more mainstream under the air of plausible deniability- “pictorials” were often under the appearance of muscle and work out inspiration, or grabbing material/magazines meant for women. Dime novels and other quick little smut novels were a bit more of a thing to seek out.
Taking photos with your boyfriend, lover, what have you wasn’t as simple as today. Photos needed to be developed, unless you knew someone or the place was private and casual about what they produced— it could be a risk to bring in your film! A big trend (especially for youth) to have more directly romantic or explicitly together photos was photo booths!
Rural /southern Teenagers knowledge-
Now there’s a lot to be said for zines and code and a whole hidden social world, but you’ve got to keep in mind another point I’ve been making. It all depends, life itself is very localized, it’s pre internet and a lot of this isn’t exactly on TV.
A teenager in small city Oklahoma probably won’t know all the signals, or slang, or even be invited to the parties. That doesn’t make them any less gay or any less interesting! Sometimes what you know is entirely self built, without the words or the set people. Sometimes they’re not the “norm” or the stereotype or what is expected from the period. Especially as a teenager!
Sometimes you live and love and that’s enough. Sexuality is a part of you, for some larger than others, not all you are. The teenage years especially are about finding yourself and your identity, and it’s such an interesting thing to discover and explore — and it’s without a set path or example to follow. You just are, gay or otherwise.
The best further sourcing I can recommend, and I believe I mentioned it, is listen to people’s stories and their experiences! Either personal or people they knew, there’s such a wide range of experiences during this crucial period especially. I particularly got the most from folks talking about their teenage years and awakening during this period— unlike other boys you couldn’t be as openly wild about it and it’s… there’s so much.
