ABSTRACT
Even though white Americans read black women writers and Christians read Jews, basically only homosexuals read homosexually themed books. This marginality is, ironically, absolutely contrary to the goals and visions of the political movement that made it possible for us to come this far. For some time now it has been clear that we are functioning in a parallel world – in fixed and stagnant substructures of companies, bookstores, reading circuits, review pages, and readers' minds. Obviously this exclusion has existed for all time and far precedes the invention of the Gay List. Throughout history straight people have, for the most part, disregarded best and most talented writers, ignored them or treated them with condescension and contempt unless these writers removed homosexuality from their work. Reviewing presents its own obstacles. Currently in most liberal publications there are unspoken quota systems for lesbian, and, to a lesser extent, gay male books.
