"In the Presence of Mine Enemies"

Having a Queer family on the block is not a 21st century custom. It's actually been going on all along. On my block when I was a kiddie there was a Queer couple that lived a few doors down.

Everyone knew them. They were just folks.
Mind you it wasn't an open howdy sort of thing. However no one bothered them. Neither were the kids on the block warned away from them.
They were just there.
Like the rest of the characters that made up any 1950's city 'hood.

I recall they fit the bill as to what regular folks thought Queers were. One butch one fem. In fact the fem guy...I forget their names. Anyway he had tits,...not biggies, but they made the point. ...so to speak.

Hormones I guess.

In them days some Queers were still into the 19th century "Third Sex" thing. That or buying into that whole male female template. Some still are. As they should if that works for them.
It was the attitude of the adults around me that may seem odd now.

No overt hostility.

At least not in the way you'd think. It was more like amusement. Akin to having circus actors in the 'hood. In the culture context of those times these folks were exotic to them. Back in the day Queers to some were a fascinating species.

Me I didn't think anything of it.

It was just more stuff from the world like all the other weird shit that was going on. I think one had to be in Nebraska for this to be a serious problem. That or Staten Island. Still to this day a reserve for white xenophobia.

When David Dinkins our first black mayor was elected a majority of Staten Island attempted to secede from the City. They have not changed since.

As for me being a Queer little kid. It helped that both of my parents had been in show business for a time. So they were used to all sorts of gleeful perverts Dykes Queers, and whatever's always around.
Especially my dad. Playing jazz piano, and all.

Also the annual Harlem "Faggots Ball".

This was a big deal. Everyone went. It was when Drag folks from all over the East came together to flaunt their stuff. Even the cops let it alone. It being protected by the mob. Eh the bars, and all that stuff.

So there was a round about acceptance within limits of Fag-World. So having a few on the block wasn't a big deal. Though I'm sure my Queer neighbors got hell everyday in every way. Still nobody was busting their windows where I was.

Like Quentin Crisp said, "You'll know you're free when no one cares." "When you become boring you're free."

Well for a time in some places this was true.

Now it's in fewer places. As happened in pre-WW2 Germany. A short era of freedom followed by extinction.
In our current times even missionary positon conservative straight-gays must remember that they're in the presence of their enemies.

Those enemies want us all dead.

Watch ya backs comrades.
Watch ya sisters, and brothers backs as well.

( 'And yes we all used to wear Tuxedos all the time. It was just the thing to do.)