同性恋不是变态东西，变态的是他所活着的社会

ItIsNottheHomosexualWhoIsPerverse,ButtheSocietyinWhichHeLives(NichtderHomosexuelleistpervers,sonderndieSituation,indererlebt)istharnesttitleofRosavonPraunheim’s1971PG-chastefirstfeature,whichhasagedlikegoodchsefromascandaloussensation(apoliticalwakeupcalltogays)intoatextbookexampleofclassiamp—andadelightfultimewarptripthroughqurcliché.Theverycolorfulcolorfilm(shotMOS)openswithvonPraunheim’scameratrailingtwofags—oneblonde,onebrunette—walkingdownasunnyBerlinstrt.Daniel,theshybrunette,isnewtothebigcityandblondeClemensisgenerouslyofferinghimaplacetostay.(WeknowthisbytheheavilyGerman-aentedEnglish,duedandspokenina“Sprockets”cadence.)“It’ssohardtofindsomeonewho’ssincere,”Clemens’voicesaysastheyculeonhisbedbackattheapartment.“Ireallydigyou.”Then,fromoutofnowhere,agrave,German-aented,Moses-likevoiceoverexplainsthat“faggotslongforlovingrelationships”,but“liveinadreamworldofglossymagazinesandHollywoodmovies.”NownakedinbedwithDaniel,Clemensproclaims,“I’dliketothrowthewindowopenandshowthewholeworldhowwonderfulitiswhentwomenareinlove!”Andsoitgoes.DanielfussesoverhishairinthemirrorwhileClemens’heartsickTeutonicvoicenarratestheirnewfounomesticbliss.“EveryhourandminuteIspentalonewastortureforme.”Luckily,thelovebirdsspendplentyoftimedoingthingslike“watchingtelevisiontofurtheroureducation”andhousecleaningtogether.Theyalsoreadorwriteletters.“DearMother,”Daniel’svoicebegins.Butalas,asClemensstaresintoacabinetchockfullofknickknacks,thatdamnnaggingMosesvoiceoverreturns.“Faggotstrytoimitatemileclassmarriage,”hehisses,holdingforthonthesubjectofmentaughttobeincompetitionwithoneanother,tobeself-involved—doomingthefaggotrelationship.Nextthingyouknow,Daniel’ssadvoicesighs,“Fourmonthshavepassed.I’vedecidedtoleaveClemens.”Thenajaunty,genialGermannarratorintones,“Danielwasoftencruisedbyawell-to-doman.”Andthere’sgirlfriendstrollingalongwiththetight-panted“benefactorathiscountryestate!”Astheystopforaglassofchampagnebesideastatue,Mosesabruptlythundersaboutthemyththatthehomosexual’s“interestintheartsisawaytomakelifemorebearable,”wheninreality“theartsareatoolfortherichandpowerful,”foritmakesit“mucheasiertogetthemintobed.”Cuttoapianoandawild-eyedfagsingingaboutDeutschland!Nearby,thebenefactorplayswithhisascot,agaudysilverringintheshapeofaninsectonhisfinger.Thecamerapullsbackandpansaroundtheroomfulofoldqunsrespectfullylisteningtotherecital.Mosesannounces,“Youthandgoodlooksaretremendouslyimportanttooldfags.”LikeHitchcock’sbirds,thlderlyMarysaresuenlyswarmingoverpoorDaniel—whogetsnauseousandrunsoutthedoor.Thenit’sofftoanoutdoorcafé—withabigsignreading“MobyDick’s.”ThegenialGermannarratorinformsthatDaniel’sfoundanewjobworkingata“mtingplaceforhomosexuals”where“conversationsaboutfilm,fashionandphysicalculturegivehimideasabouthowtofillhisleisuretime.”Mosesbuttsintoathatfaggots“gathertolistentoNinaSimone,JudyGarlandandBarbraStreisand”and“gatheratFireIslandandSanFrancisco.”Heintones,“Fashionhastobelikeasecondskinthatsuggeststhesizeofthecock.”Asissysauntersdownthestrtinkn-highmoasinsandshorts.Mosesalsowarns,“Theyoungfagmustgiveuphisinterestsformorehomosexualinterests.”Andthere’sDanielsunninghimselfwithhisfellowhomosexuals!Mosessnipes,“Hewasentrancedbyhisstrongbodyandbutchstyle”asatorso,hairychestandtightbluejeans,appearsinmediumcloseup.ThegenialGermanoffers,“Danielcouldsitforhoursandenjoybeingcruised.”Then:“WolfganghadalotincommonwithDaniel”asthetwomop-haired,mutton-choppedboysrublotionononeanother.Butallisnotwellinfairyland.MosesbringsnewsthatDanielhasbegungoingtogaybars—isbecomingaicted!And,yup,there’sDaniel,wanderingaroundadarkaningyhole.Mosesexplains,“It’seasyforfaggotstofindoneanotherbecausetheyofferthemselvesonstrtcornerslikewhores.”Cuttoaqunhavingahissyfitinfrontofthebarasanothertriestocalmherdown,allwhileMosesholdsforthonsadfags,howtheydon’tknowhowtousetheirsexualfrdomforhappiness,howtheir“greatestenemyistheconspicuousqun.”Twofairiesinshortshortsappearintheframe,fawningovertwoembarrassedfags.Moseslaments,“Danielnowhasnootherinterestthanbeingafag.”Cuttoamotorcyclegang,leatherboyscruisingoneanotheramongstthenighttimetrs.Theyflupeachother’szippers,chains,andstuds—aclothedgropefestasMosesteachesthat,otherthan“trans-westites,[who]longforwomen’sorgans,leatherfreaksarethefagswiththemosthang-ups.”Infact,“Theleatherqursarereallynice,politepeoplewhosufferfromtheirownweakness.”Andthat’swhenDaniel,“boredwithtalking,”fatefullyleavesthebarscenefortheparkwherehe“slowlymadehiswaythroughthetensechoreographyofmen.”(SosayethMoses.)Cuttooutsideapublicrestroom(a“well-knownmtingplace”).Menwhocruiserestrooms“despisetearoomtrade,”thevoiceofMosestrembles.Hustlers—“usuallyrunawaysfrombrokenhomes”whoare“oftennotqur”—frequentthesespots.(Assortedhustlersandfagsmillaboutasapieceofroughtradestandslikeasentinelinfrontofthedoor.)Agroupofqursemergeandpilecircus-styleintoacar.AnoldfagcruisesDanielbutstrikesout(duh!)beforegettingbeatupbyroughtrade.Nextup:adragqunsinginginamixedhomobar—atattooedleatherdaystaringstoicallyfromatablenearby.Andthere’sDaniel!He’s“drowninghimselfinalcoholandcigarettes”whileotherfagstryto“forgetthemselvesinafranticatmosphere”—i.e.,ablackguyandawhiteguydoingachickendanceto“RockAroundTheClock”,whichblaresfromthejukebox.Anoldyodelingqunappears.DanielsshisfriendPaul,asksifhecangobacktohiscommunalpad.Andthat’swherevonPraunheim’sfilmfinallyreachesitsclimax—apsychotherapysessionwithagroupofnakedfags!Sittinginacircle,theyberateDanielintheirduedvoices.“You’vebecomearealfulltimefaggot!”“You’rebecomingneurotic,awhorewhodoesn’tevengetpaid!”TheTeutonicaentsstartcallingforagayprideawakening,aconsciousness-raising“We’rehere,we’requr!”movement.“Qunsandbutcheshavetostopopposingandfighttogethersidebyside!”“Comeoutofthecloset!Taketothestrts!”“Eroticallyfr!Sociallyinvolved!”Thecommentarycontinuesevenasthecreditsrolloverapinkbackground—evenasIcan’tstoplaughingoverthe“trans-westites,”leatherfreaks,andglorioustearoomtrade.