Shambles,

I think you are absolutely right when you describe some of the gay community in terms of missing out on the the "whole" person - all of the interests, skills, personality traits, emotions, etc. that form a person *in addition* to her/his sexual orientation. In talking with some other gay people, I often see that missing. However, in talking with some straight men, I wonder what interests they have other than "chasing skirts". Only having such a narrow focus can be a weakness in any culture or person. People are people and there are some people who recognize and are interested in other people for the "whole" person, gay, straight or bi.

Regarding it being time to move on, well, tell that to the parents of Matthew Shephard. Or to the family of the lesbian couple who were kidnapped and murdered in Oregon a couple of years back. There are many, many familiar cases of hate crimes. There are many, many more less familiar incidents. You say, "Those first battles have been fought and won and society's attitude's have changed." When I don't have to fear loosing my job or apartment because of whom I love, we'll be a little closer to that time. When the lesbian mother doesn't loose custody of her child to her ex-husband who is a convicted murderer, (actual case in Florida) we'll be closer to that time. With the high rate of suicide among gay youth, it's hardly time to move on.

Emily, I think you are right - the most common insult you will hear in an elementary school playground is one child accusing another of being gay. "What are you, gay?" or "He's such a queer" are typical, daily negative reminders that there is something wrong with being gay. Elementary school is where the taunts start. It gets worse in the upper grades.

As this was a thread asking for information about lesbigay music, I made my musical contribution above and didn't expect to offer anything else.

Rose