Stars September 1993

8 Letters
11 Lon & Eddie
19 Circus, Circus
29 Chuck Barron
37 Phil Bradley
48 Video Review
53 Daimonix
55 Michael Torkildsen
68 Male Connection
75 Hans Mueller

EDITORIAL NOTE
I recently received a letter from a guy in New York City (see page 8&9 of this issue) who witnessed a gay bashing. This prompted me to write an editorial on the subject since so many gay people are harassed on a daily basis all over the country. New York City may be a little rougher than most cities but the problem certainly exists everywhere in the United States.
My first reaction is disgust and then I get real angry. How dare someone ridicule or attack someone just because of their sexual orientation. I say its insecurity. Many straight men see gay men as a threat to their own masculinity and tend to take it out on them through violence, whether it be physical or verbal. Both can be very damaging to the victim.
The best thing to do is to ignore the perpetrator. If that doesn't work, try getting up and leaving the situation if there is a way to do so. In many cases, victims are trapped and there is no way out. This is true in many cases of gay bashing that I have read about. I am no expert on the subject but we need to take matter into our own hands.
I think its a great idea to take self-defense classes. This would be a great way to fend off violators and at the same time, help boost your self esteem. Also, try not to be in areas where it may be unsafe. Many bars are in very unsafe neighborhoods and don't always have security guards watching the surrounding area. The operative words are "Be Careful!"
Chuck Edwards