The trouble with the late Harry Hay was, according to some, his outrageously blunt candor. There's no question that he spoke his mind freely, and let the chips fall where they might. But agree with him or not, you always knew that whenever Harry Hay opened his mouth, he spoke his truth and had the courage of his convictions.
Hay was born in England 100 years ago. He died in San Francisco 90 years later. During his nine decade sojourn on this earth, he displayed amazing courage, and planted the seeds for the birth of the gay rights movement. Long before Harvey Milk became the USA's first openly gay elected official, Harry Hay co-founded The Mattachine Society, the first American gay rights group to reach national prominence.
Harry Hay's original career goal was to become an actor. In the 1930s he worked as a stuntman in B-grade Hollywood filmshis IMDB page lists him as a cast member in Woman Against the World (1937), a crime melodrama. That same year, Hay co-directed Even: As You and I, a short avante garde film in which he also appeared. At the time he was only 25 years old, and was a card carrying member of the Communist Party. Long before his days as a "radical gay activist," Harry Hay was walking to the beat of a very different drum.
In hindsight, it's amazing and impressive to realize that Hay first conceived the idea of a gay rights organization in 1948. Other gay men were fearful, and didn't support him. It took a few years, but in 1950, the first meeting of The Mattachine Society took place in Los Angeles. The group took it's name from Medieval French secret societies of masked menand indeed, what these early crusaders were doing was very dangerous and could easily have put them in harm's way.
Mattachine opened so many doors for the first time. The group published The Call, one of the very first gay newspapers. In 1952, when Mattachine member Dale Jennings was arrested for "lewd conduct" while cruising. Mattachine took a public stand against police entrapmentJennings was acquitted of the charges. By 1953, Mattachine had over 2000 members.
Unfortunately, most chapters of the Mattachine Society closed by the 1980s, but there's no denying its pivotal role in gay history. It was hardly Hay's last stand. In 1979, he co-founded The Radical Faeries. The Faeries, still active today, often stand in direct opposition to the commercialism and assimilation of the mainstream LGBT equality movement.
In a 1985 interview, Faerie Peter Soderberg explained, in part, what the organization stood for: "Many gay men want to be middle-class Americans. They want to be respected as human beings and they want their sexuality to be ignored. But Radical Faeries are willing to live on the edge. We feel their is power in our sexuality. You know there is power there because our culture is so afraid of us."
Harry Hay was, in fact, a vocal opponent of assimilation. "If you're going to carry the skin of conformity over you, you are going to suppress the beautiful prince or princess within you," he said.
Sometimes he got himself into trouble, as in the 1980s, when he publicly expressed support for NAMBLAThe North American Man/Boy Love Association. He also opposed ACT UP, claiming that the AIDS activist organization's confrontational tactics were rooted in the machismo of straight men.
It wasn't always possible to agree with Harry Hay. But there's no denying his incredible legacy. Who knows where we might beor not betoday, had Hay and The Mattachine Society not taken those first public steps a half-century ago.
In 1999, frail and dying of lung cancer, Harry Hay, age 87, served as grand marshal of the San Francisco Pride Parade. He died Oct. 24, 2002, while in hospice care. He was 90.
Long before the concepts of Pride or coming out even existed, Harry Hay came out loudly and proudly. He had a strength and courage that few of us today can even conceive of.
Happy 100th birthday, Harry Hay.