PHOTO: A century ago, the Book written about homosexual men and women by a gay German doctor Dr. med. Magnus Hirschfeld, Arzt für nervöse und psychische Leiden in Berlin, "Die Homosexualität des Mannes und des Weibes," Louis Marcus Verlagsbuchhandlung, 1914, mentioned the international stereotype of older gay men, who in 20th Century American slang were called tops, chicken queens or chicken hawks, as preying on younger gay men, often called twinks or bottoms in the vernacular. The older man was often blackmailed by the younger man after having gay sex with them. Recently, a real-life example of this stereotype came out publically -- a 65 year old Oregon fund raiser for Obama accused his twink lover of trying to extort money by accusing him of secretly video recording gay sex acts in his bedroom. (See the Portland, Oregon alternative newspaper article by Kate Willson and Nigel Jaquiss, "Terry Bean's Problem. A prominent Portlander fights for his reputation after a love affair goes wrong," wweek.com posted Jun. 4, 2014 and my previous posts New gay ephebophile magazine by former XY editor (4/18/11) and Magnus Hirschfeld Book notes 37 to 39 - final post (11/2/10))
I first heard about Terry Bean's gay sex scandal, reported by Kate Willson and Nigel Jaquiss, "Terry Bean's Problem. A prominent Portlander fights for his reputation after a love affair goes wrong," wweek.com posted Jun. 4, 2014, from the Portland KATU Channel 2 television news where the rightwing anchor Natalie Marnie tied it to the gay marriage political efforts in Oregon, even though it is unrelated. This anchor is shamefully part of a station owned by a devout Catholic family that has donated to anti-gay marriage politicians and political campaigns in the past. (For another example of this anchor reporting stories in an anti-gay manner, see my previous post Oregon gay marriage legal again after banned by Constitutional Amendment (5/20/14))
The KATU TV news story mentioned that Terry Bean is a wealthy Portland, Oregon citizen and University of Oregon graduate who donated much money to support gay political causes, including helping fund the first professional lobbying group in Washington, D.C. -- the Human Rights Campaign.
The TV news story did not mention the former Minnesota gay activist Steven Endean was the first paid lobbyist for the Human Rights Campaign in Washington, D.C. where he set the agenda of fighting for non-discrimination legislation and the repeal of anti-gay blue laws that were commonly used back then to discriminate against gay people. Endean was strongly opposed to the gay marriage activism in Minnesota of a former contemporary, Jack Baker, who he called a lunatic because he believed Baker would set a precedent that would harm HRC lobbying efforts. (See my previous post Gay Oregon Judge acknowledges validity of 1972 "Baker" gay marriage case by ruling it obsolete (5/31/14))
Both Bean and Endean were of the Stonewall generation who grew up during the free-love period of the late 1960's when both heterosexuals and homosexuals sought out multiple sex partners instead of marriage. The worst sexually transmitted diseases at the time were believed to be easily curable by modern medicine until the AIDS virus surfaced in the 1980's, which tragically killed Steve Endean and others who had engaged in bareback anal sex or injection drugs with shared needles. (AIDS infections were virtually unheard of in monogamous men and men who engaged exclusively in oral sex or who were exclusive tops during anal sex and who did not share needles.)
In the early days of gay liberation after the Stonewall riots in 1969, most gay activists wanted to fight for sexual freedom and they dismissed marriage as being an obsolete and sexist institution created by men to oppress women. They joined forces with many heterosexuals who were also fighting for sexual liberation and freedom from the restrictive blue laws that made all premarital sex illegal.
Tellingly, the Willamette Week article mentions Terry Bean's recent lack of participation in a celebration of gay marriage becoming legal in Oregon again: "On May 31, nearly 1,000 revelers turned up at Montgomery Park for a raucous victory celebration marking a federal judge's overturning of Oregon's ban on same-sex marriage. . . Terry Bean wasn't there." (Quoted from Kate Willson and Nigel Jaquiss, "Terry Bean's Problem. A prominent Portlander fights for his reputation after a love affair goes wrong," wweek.com posted Jun. 4, 2014) Below are some more quotes from the article:
Bean grew up the scion of a powerful Portland family. His great-grandfather was an Oregon Supreme Court justice and later a federal judge. His grandfather, Ormond Bean, served 23 years as a Portland city commissioner. Bean himself was raised in Lake Oswego. He attended the University of Oregon on a golf scholarship, and returned to Portland and went to work at his father's firm, Bean Investment Real Estate. . .
The traditional trappings only went so far. Lawson claims that, as part of their relationship, Bean asked him to bring younger men to the West Hills house. He also says their relationship allowed them to have sex with other men, so long as the other approved. . .
On May 31, nearly 1,000 revelers turned up at Montgomery Park for a raucous victory celebration marking a federal judge's overturning of Oregon's ban on same-sex marriage.
Gay-rights pioneers, such as former Mayor Adams, raised their glasses to dozens of newly married gay couples.
In between music by the LoveBomb Go-Go Marching Band and DJ Zimmie, Gov. John Kitzhaber, U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) and other leaders who have fought for decades for gay rights recognized the groups and individuals who'd made equality possible in Oregon.
Amid all the names called out, one was missing.
Terry Bean wasn't there.
