A Timely "Normal Heart"
The day after the Tony Awards, a good friend called and suggested that we see the "Normal Heart". Earlier in the season when the play had opened my thoughts were that I could certainly miss this production as I had seen the play in the 1980's and regarded it as being an outdated revival that was no longer relevant. Having just won three Tony Awards we agreed to go, although I was less than excited about the evening. As the house lights dimmed and the pulse of disco music immediately took us back to Studo 54 and the early 80's in New York City, I was briefly exhilarated and recalled a carefree time in my twenties. In a matter of minutes, the mood had changed drastically and we were in the emergency room at St Vincents Hospital watching the beginnings of the AIDS epidemic unfold. At this point I began to think that "this was exactly why I did not want to see this play"! I had somehow been fortunate enough to escape this plague and was uncomfortable being reminded of the fear it had caused in so many of our minds.
What I had not anticipated was how important it was for me to be reminded - and for so many people younger than I to realize - how far the GLBT community has progressed since 1960 and even 1980. After decades of so many being forced to live a duplistic closeted life, the Stonewall Riots began a revolution for equality that by the 1980's had made great strides toward equal rights and social tolerance. By the early 1980's there was a sense of pride and acceptance in many American Cities that began to feel like a golden age of liberation and freedom. There were still battles for equality to be won, but life seemed pretty free and worth celebrating. Then AIDS appeared and shook the community to its core. To think that it took three years into the crisis for any government agency to even talk about the problem seems unbelievable in retrospect. As the play chronicles Ned's (a virtually biographical Larry Kramer) struggle to organize the gay community into action and their tireless efforts to persuade any city, state, or national agency to provide assistance or research funding it becomes clear that civil discoarse is not always enough. Although his activism - and outraged anger - made many even in the gay community uncomfortable, it was obvious that this activism was the only method loud enough to shake the official disregard and complacency toward the unfolding epidemic.
The play presents the universal question of "When are polite means of lobbying no longer effective and when is anger and activism necessary"? In the case of the AIDS Epidemic, as with so many other historic conflicts and issues before it, extreme activism became the only viable tool of protest available to effect change. Without Larry Kramers anger, GMHC may have never been formed and the epidemic may have killed hundreds of thousands more than have died.
The play also reminds us of how social mores within the community have evolved and infact become more mainstream. So many of our relationships have become monogamous and long term and as we collectively redefine our lifstyles it seems our sense of dignity has also greatly improved. We continue to emerge as a healthier community both physically and emotionally.
For some years now my partner and I have questioned ourselve as to why we have only a handful of close gay friends, yet we realise that today we choose our friends for the myriad of qualities that they possess and not principly because of their sexual orientation. What we have come to appreciate is that our friends are our friends because we like them and have common interest. In an unspoken way, isn't this exactly the freedom of equality we have struggled for decades to achieve?
The "Normal Heart" serves as a brilliantly acted history lesson reminding us to be grateful for our achievements, proud of our identity, and free to live our lives with dignity and self respect.
How appropriate that here in New York this week, a state bill has finally passed allowing marriage without discrimination for all people.
What I had not anticipated was how important it was for me to be reminded - and for so many people younger than I to realize - how far the GLBT community has progressed since 1960 and even 1980. After decades of so many being forced to live a duplistic closeted life, the Stonewall Riots began a revolution for equality that by the 1980's had made great strides toward equal rights and social tolerance. By the early 1980's there was a sense of pride and acceptance in many American Cities that began to feel like a golden age of liberation and freedom. There were still battles for equality to be won, but life seemed pretty free and worth celebrating. Then AIDS appeared and shook the community to its core. To think that it took three years into the crisis for any government agency to even talk about the problem seems unbelievable in retrospect. As the play chronicles Ned's (a virtually biographical Larry Kramer) struggle to organize the gay community into action and their tireless efforts to persuade any city, state, or national agency to provide assistance or research funding it becomes clear that civil discoarse is not always enough. Although his activism - and outraged anger - made many even in the gay community uncomfortable, it was obvious that this activism was the only method loud enough to shake the official disregard and complacency toward the unfolding epidemic.
The play presents the universal question of "When are polite means of lobbying no longer effective and when is anger and activism necessary"? In the case of the AIDS Epidemic, as with so many other historic conflicts and issues before it, extreme activism became the only viable tool of protest available to effect change. Without Larry Kramers anger, GMHC may have never been formed and the epidemic may have killed hundreds of thousands more than have died.
The play also reminds us of how social mores within the community have evolved and infact become more mainstream. So many of our relationships have become monogamous and long term and as we collectively redefine our lifstyles it seems our sense of dignity has also greatly improved. We continue to emerge as a healthier community both physically and emotionally.
For some years now my partner and I have questioned ourselve as to why we have only a handful of close gay friends, yet we realise that today we choose our friends for the myriad of qualities that they possess and not principly because of their sexual orientation. What we have come to appreciate is that our friends are our friends because we like them and have common interest. In an unspoken way, isn't this exactly the freedom of equality we have struggled for decades to achieve?
The "Normal Heart" serves as a brilliantly acted history lesson reminding us to be grateful for our achievements, proud of our identity, and free to live our lives with dignity and self respect.
How appropriate that here in New York this week, a state bill has finally passed allowing marriage without discrimination for all people.
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