"getting gay" Poem

Title

"getting gay" Poem

Subject

Poetry

Description

A poem written by Susan Sojourner on the topics of sexuality, self-identity, and social justice.

Source

Susan Hasalo Sojourner Collection, M539, Historical Manuscripts, Special Collections, The University of Southern Mississippi Libraries.

Date

1975-05-19

Rights

Copyright not evaluated.

Format

Image/gif

Language

En

Type

Text

Original Format

Typed poem

Files

Page 1 of a typed poem titled getting gay<br /> <br /> unlike coming out -- <br /> a political stance<br /> zeroes in<br /> on the totally personal <br /> part<br /> being a self acknowledgement<br /> of one's gayness<br /> getting gay <br /> a self acceptance<br /> acceptance of self<br /> a getting ones self<br /> together on another level <br /> of consciousness<br /> <br /> a level of consciousness <br /> --a gate to expansion<br /> each time i've reached<br /> a new level<br /> it caused total<br /> re-examination of my past<br /> in the light of this new level<br /> <br /> just as getting gay is<br /> a swinging in closer to the personal<br /> --another different closer to self<br /> level of the coming out process
Page two of typed poem titled getting gay<br /> <br /> so too<br /> has my experience in adult process<br /> been a swinging closer<br /> to personal self<br /> <br /> I joined the civil rights movement<br /> arriving at a level of consciousness<br /> which forced an entire re-appraisal<br /> re-examination of<br /> my public political life<br /> of me as an american white<br /> wondering whether a history<br /> that left out all the blacks<br /> could really be accepted <br /> anywhere<br /> and about me who had lived that<br /> white middleclass life--<br /> so limited<br /> not even being aware of <br /> the limitations<br /> <br /> the wimmins movement<br /> --closer to the personal <br /> but the political being part of the personal
Page 3 of a typed poem titled getting gay<br /> <br /> as a woman in this society<br /> culture--<br /> it caused me<br /> to re-examine all my<br /> sexist assumptions<br /> as i worked in the civil rights movement<br /> how i subsumed under men<br /> how my language was filled with the unconscious he<br /> that i cannot begin to tolerate now<br /> which then i didn't notice<br /> who was i then?<br /> <br /> Now getting gay<br /> zeroes closer to my<br /> nether bone<br /> for it is my personal & political<br /> causes me to re-examine all kinds of personal history<br /> that assumed heterosexuality in everything<br /> <br /> i see all in the new light of the new level of consciousness<br /> suddenly understanding the attraction to tensions with <br /> lisa mary all manner of important women in my life <br /> a life limited yet not even aware of the limitations<br /> who was i then?<br /> and now?<br /> different?<br /> how?<br /> getting gay////////getting closer to the core. 5-19-75<br /> sue sojourner

Citation

“"getting gay" Poem,” Online Exhibits at Southern Miss, accessed April 28, 2024, https://usmspecialcollections.omeka.net/items/show/367.

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