Gay People In Hawaiian Culture?

[greentara]

I was wondering about how Gay people were viewed in Hawaii. Living in SF and growing up in the Bay Area, we are used to lots of diversity including sexual diversity. Curious about how Gay people are viewed in Hawaiian culture both recent and ancient cultures. I guess I'm most of all interested in the way indigenous Hawaiian people incorporated Gay men/woman into the culture or did they ostracize them? My husband came from a very homophobic culture but since living in SF he has learned that people are people first and sexual preference is not something to judge people by. After reading the Prom thread I noticed the word "mahu" being used, is that a Hawaiian word for "gay"?

[Da Rolling Eye]

From what I've read, Hawaiians, like the American Indians, didn't make much hoohoo about it. They got teased a bit, but not ostracized and certainly not hated. They were just another part of life and productive members of the tribal community or village. This is from what I've read a long time ago and can't vouch for the accuracy of the source.

Mahu is not just gay, it's a flaming gay. :D You know da kine, get lillo bit eye makeup and rouge maybe some foundation, highlights in da hair, grossly exaggerated female mannerisms and da forevah limp wrist. Well, das how I remember the ones I knew. Good fun guys, great friends and always cracking jokes about themselves or teasing us straight guys. Oh yeah, they can hold their own very well in physical confrontations. ;)

[blueyecicle]

The guy who went on vacation with me had NO problem finding PLENTY of gay clubs and hooking up several times in 8 days! :p

[lavagal]

For the most part, people are OK with diversity within Hawaii's culture, be it sexual or racial. For instance, our state elected a transgender (http://kimcoco.com/)person to the Board of Education.
It would not be fair to say that Hawaii is all loving and all accepting. There are incidents of violence against transexuals, transgenders, gays and lesbians (well, maybe not so much lesbians).
Sometimes I wonder if we fall all over ourselves compensating for gays and lesbians. My daughter's kindergarten class has two boys who each have two dads. This is a first. As a result, there will be no Mother's Day project. Why not? Why can't the boys with two dads learn now that other kids don't have two dads and then everyone can learn to accept those differences ...at this tender age? Fortunately for the school, Father's Day falls in the summer. We don't have to worry about hurting the feelings of the kids who only have one dad! I digress.

[Pua'i Mana'o]

Every Hawaiian family has a mahu or a butchie. Unlike the andromorph stuff seen elsewhere, in Hawaii the "kaekae boogie" is pretty much a no-no--be it gay male or female couples, one assumes the masculine role and the other assumes the feminine. We use the word "mahu" to describe both homosexuality in general and as a title owned by the drag queen or the butchie female. None of these terms are offensive.

[Glen Miyashiro]

Sometimes I wonder if we fall all over ourselves compensating for gays and lesbians. My daughter's kindergarten class has two boys who each have two dads. This is a first. As a result, there will be no Mother's Day project. Why not? Why can't the boys with two dads learn now that other kids don't have two dads and then everyone can learn to accept those differences ...at this tender age? Fortunately for the school, Father's Day falls in the summer. We don't have to worry about hurting the feelings of the kids who only have one dad!Oh please. Are you serious? That's not the school "being considerate"; that's the school administration being terrified of giving offense because they don't know how to handle diversity. Did they even bother to talk to the two-dads families and ask whether they'd object to a Mother's Day project? Who knows; they might have been OK with it -- after all, those dads probably had mothers themselves. :rolleyes:

I don't ever remember schools taking comparable actions to be considerate of kids whose parents were divorced or, worse, dead. And what about the agony of adopted kids who have to do the inevitable family tree project? :eek:

I digress.Indeed you do, and I'm just making it worse. :D

[Pua'i Mana'o]

I agree with you Glenn. As far as I can recall, none of my children's school has ever held a "Mother's Day Project", but then the community has a great number of children who are cared for by their grandparents, and other extended relatives.

As for "family tree project", my own kid is required to produce five generations on any one side. Imagine the poor child who has no Mormon relatives? :( :confused: :D

[Da Rolling Eye]

As for "family tree project", my own kid is required to produce five generations on any one side. Imagine the poor child who has no Mormon relatives?
5??? Sheesh, most of us only go back 3 or 4 gen in Hawaii and only God knows who our family is back in the old country, for some of us. :(

Sorrysorry, we digress. :D

[Vanguard]

As for "family tree project", my own kid is required to produce five generations on any one side. Imagine the poor child who has no Mormon relatives? :( :confused: :D

I can produce 20 generations, and I'm not even Mormon -- woo hoo!

[LikaNui]

Mahu is not just gay, it's a flaming gay. :D You know da kine, get lillo bit eye makeup and rouge maybe some foundation, highlights in da hair, grossly exaggerated female mannerisms and da forevah limp wrist. Don't forget the good taste in clothes too.
A few years back I was at the Na Hoku Awards and ran into an aquaintance who's one of the top female singers in the islands. She always wears jeans and t-shirts, but at the Hokus she had on an incredible gown. I commented on how very nice she looked and that I'd never seen her in a dress before, and she said "Uncle, I borrowed the gown from a mahu friend of mine!"

:p

[greentara]

From what I've read, Hawaiians, like the American Indians, didn't make much hoohoo about it. They got teased a bit, but not ostracized and certainly not hated. They were just another part of life and productive members of the tribal community or village. This is from what I've read a long time ago and can't vouch for the accuracy of the source.

Mahu is not just gay, it's a flaming gay. :D You know da kine, get lillo bit eye makeup and rouge maybe some foundation, highlights in da hair, grossly exaggerated female mannerisms and da forevah limp wrist. Well, das how I remember the ones I knew. Good fun guys, great friends and always cracking jokes about themselves or teasing us straight guys. Oh yeah, they can hold their own very well in physical confrontations. ;)

Many thanks for the information. So Mahu is a flamer ~ :D great discription. I kind of thought it would be close to the American Indian attitude toward gay people. When I did field work in Northern California I learned that it was no big deal, they, (gay men) could assume the role of women in the indigenous cultures ~ cooking, rearing children etc. I was just checking because when I moved to Jamaica I had no idea how homophobic it was there, I may not have moved there if I knew before hand. Not only do I have gay friends but several of my family members are gay, so I was very sensitive about the homophobic attitude in that culture.

[Pua'i Mana'o]

I kind of thought it would be close to the American Indian attitude toward ...

not just to you, Greenie, but to everyone on the planet: Hawaiians, American Indians, and everyone else on the planet do not fall under this romantic blanket of Behavior& Culture a la Indigenousness. Adobe mean nothing to me and sharks mean nothing to the Navajo, you know what I mean? </rant>

As for mahu, they may be found a-plenty throughout the Polynesian isles, but there are isles in Micronesia where you won't find any. Isle peoples differ amongst our own selves as well, and there are those family for whom having a mahu is the source of a lot of strife, and not all has to do with religion. Homophobia crosses all cultures. For example, the homophobia in my own family hasn't to do with the focus on "crotch behavior" as the melding of so much hormones that really is unique to the mahu. Both the female and the male mahu seem to produce more than their fair share of male and female hormones, which comes out in their behaviors. They are their own kind, and not everyone flocks well with all kinds. Just like men and women: everyone has their preference/taste/turnoffs for "types" of people. But that's life.

[greentara]

not just to you, Greenie, but to everyone on the planet: Hawaiians, American Indians, and everyone else on the planet do not fall under this romantic blanket of Behavior& Culture a la Indigenousness. Adobe mean nothing to me and sharks mean nothing to the Navajo, you know what I mean? </rant>

Not sure I know what you mean by "romantic blanket" of Behavior & Culture??? I’m here to discuss and learn not to offend you by comparing universals found in many different cultures. Sounds as if you don't approve of the word Indigenousness, should I have used another word? I do understand that adobe would not be part of your environment and sharks would not be part of a Navajo environment. When I compared the two groups of people I was referring to pre-contact with Judeo/Christian European people. Yes, there are always people that will find different life styles distasteful but I am familiar with cultures that will actually kill people for their differences.

I have the utmost respect for all of the differences and similarities among people and I understand your distaste for people that are constantly analyzing your culture. So please don’t take offence.

[Da Rolling Eye]

Many thanks for the information. So Mahu is a flamer ~ :D great discription. I kind of thought it would be close to the American Indian attitude toward gay people. When I did field work in Northern California[COLOR=#339966][FONT='Book Antiqua'] I learned that it was no big deal, they, (gay men) could assume the role of women in the indigenous cultures ~ cooking, rearing children etc.
Back then it WAS more like the American Indians, although I don't know the details of their function within the village society. Mahus are more a contemporary version. They kinda flaunt it a bit more these days. :D As for tolerance of gays in modern indigenous Hawaiian culture, well lets just say I've seen my share of intolerance for gays especially by the young, mega-macho types.

[Kaukura]

I've always understood mahu's were regarded as the "third sex" in certain polynesian societies. Men who were raised as females from birth to help out with the family in more maternal ways that the men (raised as men) would not be doing. In French Polynesia (Tahiti et islands) you'll find many working in service industries ie. hotels, restaurants, stores etc. as there isn't(at least on Tahiti, Moorea, BB) a whole lot of "living off the land" life, so many of these men who were raised as females are forced to work in the tourism industry. In lesser developed islands, you'll probably find more just simply taking care of the family and helping out in the traditional way. I've met many on my s. pacific travels. One guest house on Kadavu Fiji had a mahu helping run the pension. Restaurants in Fr. Polynesia had several. There are also Rae Rae clubs in Papeete, Tahiti. Much different are the rae rae's, which are basically (again, as I understood) men who enjoy dressing as women. Fa'faines I think are in the Samoas which again (correct me if Im wrong) are the equivalent of mahu's, but then again, I"m not entirely sure. There is a famous cross dresser who performs in Apia named "Cindy". If you're ever in Apia, catch her show!!

[Da Rolling Eye]

Good catch, kaukura. I read my stuff so long ago, I only remembered the gist, which was the similarities with the AI. :)

[PoiBoy]

Fa'faines I think are in the Samoas which again (correct me if Im wrong) are the equivalent of mahu's, but then again, I"m not entirely sure. There is a famous cross dresser who performs in Apia named "Cindy". If you're ever in Apia, catch her show!!
I don't know how to define mahu's. Fa'afafine(way of the woman) are common in Samoa. It's not about 'drag queen' or some performance...its just the way they are. But yah..we have Fa'afafine pageants that make the front page of the newspaper. :p
Fa'afafines are cool and are accepted in my village. Every Samoan knows not to mouth off to them because they can kick your butt.:D


anyways..I don't think gay and fa'afafine are the same.

[PoiBoy]

I should add that acceptance varies from village to village..aiga to aiga. Those that are ostrasized are done so mainly because of religious reasons. Most stay in town.

[Kaukura]

Yes, PoiBoy, I do not consider mahu's, fa'afafine to be gay in the "westernized" sense or probably any sense for that matter. One reason why I tried not to classify "Cindy" as one or even gay for that matter. I merely stated "cross dresser" as the most ambiguous term as when I was there, she was quite popular and she was a performer.

I have also met a few on Savai'i, Upolu, Kadavu, Taveuni and Vanua Levu in Fiji, the societies and tuamotus in FP. Always seemingly delightful people.

vive la différence!

[PoiBoy]

Wow Kaukura, you travel alot.
Yah, I've heard of Cindy but never been to her show. I'll check it out next time I go back home.

There is a known fa'afafine in Aotearoa named Shigeyuki Kihara. She's an artist and I really love her work.

warning:nudity
http://www.pasifikastyles.org.uk/artists/shigeyuki-kihara.php

http://www.lefolauga.co.nz/Shigeyuki_Kihara.html

http://www.bartleyneesgallery.co.nz/archive/exhibitions.php?year=2004&ID=72&exhibition=Vavau%20-%20tales%20from%20ancient%20samoa&PHPSESSID=68eaaed593a6815f7eef04b57fd5c322

[TuNnL]

For the most part, people are OK with diversity within Hawaii's culture, be it sexual or racial. For instance, our state elected a transgender (http://kimcoco.com/)person to the Board of Education.
It would not be fair to say that Hawaii is all loving and all accepting.Maybe it wouldn’t but most who posted on the topic specifically about this transgender person (http://hawaiithreads.com/showthread.php?t=10921), apparently would like to imply that it is. So much so, that they refuse to acknowledge the national implications of his/her election to office. :eek:

[greentara]

Wow Kaukura, you travel alot.
Yah, I've heard of Cindy but never been to her show. I'll check it out next time I go back home.

There is a known fa'afafine in Aotearoa named Shigeyuki Kihara. She's an artist and I really love her work.

warning:nudity
http://www.pasifikastyles.org.uk/artists/shigeyuki-kihara.php

http://www.lefolauga.co.nz/Shigeyuki_Kihara.html

http://www.bartleyneesgallery.co.nz/archive/exhibitions.php?year=2004&ID=72&exhibition=Vavau%20-%20tales%20from%20ancient%20samoa&PHPSESSID=68eaaed593a6815f7eef04b57fd5c322

Many thanks for the web pages; I guess I'm more interested in the way gay people are treated in the more traditional cultures and what remains today of the traditional influence.

Kaukura: hoping to travel a lot more in the South Pacific when I move to Hawaii, sounds as if you have really gotten around in that area. Thanks for the info.

PoiBoy: I should add that acceptance varies from village to village..aiga to aiga. Those that are ostrasized are done so mainly because of religious reasons. Most stay in town.

From what I've read most of the bias is because of the modern “religious” influences.

[Pua'i Mana'o]

weighing in again...

the prejudice I see against mahu within a family isn't religious; there are parents and siblings and others who simply want that manly son or womanly daughter or sister or whatever. They didn't want the mahu; how gaaawwjuz is braddah gonna be as a 6'3" 300lb drag queen? And just where is he going to find sassy shoes for those luau feet of his?!? Well, that mahu relative of mine is gaawjuz when he dresses up, and nobody dares tell him otherwise, lest they want a licken.

Further, life is hard on the mahu; many of my family wished it weren't so; but these mahu are still our blood, still good people, and they want for them the same successes and happinesses and to protect them from ridicule and so forth.

Over time, those in my family have learned that we must accept these mahu for who they are. It IS hard to watch them suffer at the hands of lovers, at the fascination of the public (face it; how subtle do you think big Hawaiian mahu can possibly be?) and those other battles of self-esteem that no one is exempt, but for whom the mahu face doubly hard battles. The mahu in my family are the crowd pleasers, the MCs at almost all of our functions, sit more with the braddahs and braddah-in-laws (all of whom pretty much adore+fear the mahus) than their sisters, and once in a while, might help out when it comes time to clean pig (but don't ask nor try to bully; it is completely upon their own inclination).

Religion? I am sure in some families, but for a lot of them, their issues might be more like ours.

[Ms_Aloha_Nui]

Just sharing...there are many, many stores that sell shoes, dresses and accessories for 6'3" 300+ persons....and the mahu know where they are...it's like anything else...I have HUGE sons and I know where to shop to buy him clothes......

[greentara]

weighing in again...

the prejudice I see against mahu within a family isn't religious; there are parents and siblings and others who simply want that manly son or womanly daughter or sister or whatever. They didn't want the mahu; how gaaawwjuz is braddah gonna be as a 6'3" 300lb drag queen? And just where is he going to find sassy shoes for those luau feet of his?!? Well, that mahu relative of mine is gaawjuz when he dresses up, and nobody dares tell him otherwise, lest they want a licken.

Further, life is hard on the mahu; many of my family wished it weren't so; but these mahu are still our blood, still good people, and they want for them the same successes and happinesses and to protect them from ridicule and so forth.

Over time, those in my family have learned that we must accept these mahu for who they are. It IS hard to watch them suffer at the hands of lovers, at the fascination of the public (face it; how subtle do you think big Hawaiian mahu can possibly be?) and those other battles of self-esteem that no one is exempt, but for whom the mahu face doubly hard battles. The mahu in my family are the crowd pleasers, the MCs at almost all of our functions, sit more with the braddahs and braddah-in-laws (all of whom pretty much adore+fear the mahus) than their sisters, and once in a while, might help out when it comes time to clean pig (but don't ask nor try to bully; it is completely upon their own inclination).

Religion? I am sure in some families, but for a lot of them, their issues might be more like ours.

Yes, it is a tough road, not one that anyone would "choose", I agree with most of what you say. Everyone makes their contribution to the family...;)

[Lei K]

not just to you, Greenie, but to everyone on the planet: Hawaiians, American Indians, and everyone else on the planet do not fall under this romantic blanket of Behavior& Culture a la Indigenousness. Adobe mean nothing to me and sharks mean nothing to the Navajo, you know what I mean? </rant>

Pua'i, I hope you don't mind that I go off of your rant for this post but it is a good opening for another thing I've been thinking about.

I have noticed some people calling Hawaiians by a new name, Native American/American Indian. When did this start happening? An example on public TV even...

Dog the Bounty Hunter arrested a woman, who is obviously Kanaka, with a Kanaka last name. He gives her his usual uplifting moral talk and says he too is Native American, so therefore he understands her. Not once does he talk about her being Hawaiian, only Native American. I think at one point there is even American Indian chanting as background music.

I have noticed a few people around my part of the CONUS saying the same thing and even some part-Hawaiians calling themselves Native American.

Maybe I'm missing something but I don't understand it. Hawaiians = Polynesian by race. If it's because Hawai`i is a state then I still don't understand why natives got a race change. My mother was born when Hawai`i was a territory so does that mean anyone with native blood of their aina born on a territory of the USA becomes a Native American too?

I have an uncle (in da local kine way, he's my father's best friend) who is a chief, his tribe hails from Oklahoma. We talk often about the issues his people go through and what Hawaiians go through. He never once referred to Hawaiians as Native Americans, he always speaks of Hawaiians as their own people. But he doesn't really call himself a Native American, his tribe is who he is. He's a great man who shows a lot of respect and I have so much respect for him. I wish he was around here more as I learn so much from him.

I suppose as a race they are called American Indian/Native American (native to North, Central and South America). I don't see how people from Polynesia fit into that?

[Lei K]

Oh and to stay on track, I get one mahu cousin. :p Actually he goes both ways if you get what I'm getting at. :D

[Lei K]

As for "family tree project", my own kid is required to produce five generations on any one side. Imagine the poor child who has no Mormon relatives?

5??? Sheesh, most of us only go back 3 or 4 gen in Hawaii and only God knows who our family is back in the old country, for some of us.

It's because of the LDS church (and Mormon relatives :p ) keeping such great records of their Polynesian community that I can prove 8 generations on paper. I'm learning more oral genealogy about my family though. I wonder if your genealogy is not an actual paper record would school still accept it if you wrote it down for your project?

I can only go back 4 generations Pake. China is a pain in da okole about letting people in their records, it seems. Anyone who knows how to research family records from China please educate me. Pukiki family lines have proved a tad more easy, I got 5 generations in Hawai`i, about 2 generations back on the mother isles. Anyone know a good resource on how to get Portuguese records?

My husband has ancestry on paper back to the 890's. As a genealogy freak that blows my mind to go through, it's amazing.

Were there always family tree projects in school ova in da aina? I neva got to do one during my time in school there. :(

Sorry to get off topic. :o

[Peshkwe]

Pua'i, I hope you don't mind that I go off of your rant for this post but it is a good opening for another thing I've been thinking about.

I have noticed some people calling Hawaiians by a new name, Native American/American Indian. When did this start happening? An example on public TV even...

Dog the Bounty Hunter arrested a woman, who is obviously Kanaka, with a Kanaka last name. He gives her his usual uplifting moral talk and says he too is Native American, so therefore he understands her. Not once does he talk about her being Hawaiian, only Native American. I think at one point there is even American Indian chanting as background music.

I have noticed a few people around my part of the CONUS saying the same thing and even some part-Hawaiians calling themselves Native American.

Maybe I'm missing something but I don't understand it. Hawaiians = Polynesian by race. If it's because Hawai`i is a state then I still don't understand why natives got a race change. My mother was born when Hawai`i was a territory so does that mean anyone with native blood of their aina born on a territory of the USA becomes a Native American too?

I have an uncle (in da local kine way, he's my father's best friend) who is a chief, his tribe hails from Oklahoma. We talk often about the issues his people go through and what Hawaiians go through. He never once referred to Hawaiians as Native Americans, he always speaks of Hawaiians as their own people. But he doesn't really call himself a Native American, his tribe is who he is. He's a great man who shows a lot of respect and I have so much respect for him. I wish he was around here more as I learn so much from him.

I suppose as a race they are called American Indian/Native American (native to North, Central and South America). I don't see how people from Polynesia fit into that?




It's that whole pan-indian 'I really dunno what/how I am, but I wanna connect with you somehow and all indians are the same anyways.' thing. Only it seems to be going into a 'pandigenous' turning where it's seen that all indigenous cultures are the same.

Most people who know their native culture and where their relations belong to say "I'm Lakota", "I'm Kanaka (or Hawaiian)" or "I'm 'Shinnob (Anishinnabeg)"...etc. They know that the different Nations had different ways about em...some drastically different. This also goes the same way with cultural feelings about homosexuality, some Ndn's accepted it and in fact recognized up to seven genders....some didn't want anything to do with it like the Shoshone and Mohave. The popular therm 'Two Spirits' came from a translation of Shinnob phrase "niizh manidoowag".

As far as 'the Dog' ummm....his mahu side is expressing itself in each and every show with them chiggin feather hair drops he wears. That's a woman's hair decoration thing, not a guy thing.

[greentara]

Pua'i, I hope you don't mind that I go off of your rant for this post but it is a good opening for another thing I've been thinking about.

I have noticed some people calling Hawaiians by a new name, Native American/American Indian. When did this start happening? An example on public TV even...

Dog the Bounty Hunter arrested a woman, who is obviously Kanaka, with a Kanaka last name. He gives her his usual uplifting moral talk and says he too is Native American, so therefore he understands her. Not once does he talk about her being Hawaiian, only Native American. I think at one point there is even American Indian chanting as background music.

I have noticed a few people around my part of the CONUS saying the same thing and even some part-Hawaiians calling themselves Native American.

Maybe I'm missing something but I don't understand it. Hawaiians = Polynesian by race. If it's because Hawai`i is a state then I still don't understand why natives got a race change. My mother was born when Hawai`i was a territory so does that mean anyone with native blood of their aina born on a territory of the USA becomes a Native American too?

I have an uncle (in da local kine way, he's my father's best friend) who is a chief, his tribe hails from Oklahoma. We talk often about the issues his people go through and what Hawaiians go through. He never once referred to Hawaiians as Native Americans, he always speaks of Hawaiians as their own people. But he doesn't really call himself a Native American, his tribe is who he is. He's a great man who shows a lot of respect and I have so much respect for him. I wish he was around here more as I learn so much from him.

I suppose as a race they are called American Indian/Native American (native to North, Central and South America). I don't see how people from Polynesia fit into that?

To my knowledge the groups are not lumped together academically. You have classes on Pacific Islanders and classes on Native American Studies (American Indian). As a matter of fact there are entire degree programs that focus on one or the other. People may lump them together for the radical causes because they have both suffered injustices because of European domination. They are entirely different cultures. There are universals found in all cultures but that's a different story.

[Pua'i Mana'o]

heck if I know. I find very little in common with the NAs that I have met when travelling though that continent. Our brown is different, our body types, I've met those who make fun of "fish eaters", and our histories are different. For many of them I think that they have sadder histories and sadder realities. I've more compassion and anthropological fascination than any feeling of comraderie. They are of the rest of the world, bound to us by language, media and national similarity.

But take me through the isles of the Pacific, and I get chicken skin. We descend from the same gods, speak similar languages, and look more similar than different (and yeah, waaaay sweeping generalization here and exceptions galore, but on the macro, go with me on this point). With them I feel family.

[greentara]

heck if I know. I find very little in common with the NAs that I have met when travelling though that continent. Our brown is different, our body types, I've met those who make fun of "fish eaters", and our histories are different. For many of them I think that they have sadder histories and sadder realities. I've more compassion and anthropological fascination than any feeling of comraderie. They are of the rest of the world, bound to us by language, media and national similarity.

But take me through the isles of the Pacific, and I get chicken skin. We descend from the same gods, speak similar languages, and look more similar than different (and yeah, waaaay sweeping generalization here and exceptions galore, but on the macro, go with me on this point). With them I feel family.

Absolutely understand those roots go way deep.

[Beau]

Aloha greentara,

IMHO, its really a mixed bag in regards to how gays are viewed in modern Hawaii.

I came out to my parents when I was 15 yrs. old, and to their credit they have been completely understanding, and have given unconditional love and support.

There is an incredible amount of ignorance among some local people who seem to think that it's very rare to see a gay asian, or worse, that gay asians themselves is a very rare phenomena!:confused:

Most of the gays I know in Hawaii are asian american just like me. It seems after the "aids plague," most of them have elected to stay in the closet, and won't even tell their parents, thus perpetuating the stereotype that there isn't many gay asians! (sigh)

The same-sex marriage debacle (it wasn't an important issue to me, because there isn't anyone I would want to marry yet), with the vitriolic diatribe coming from the opposition, almost caused me to migrate to the mainland. Only an aging pet cat pet who I was extremely close to caused me to stay here. Hawaii at the time had quarantine, and I couldn't put my beloved cat through that in case it didn't work out for me on the mainland.

On the plus side, all of my gay asian male friends who left Hawaii to work and live on the mainland for 20 years or so, have all come back to live in Hawaii again. So....

[greentara]

Aloha Beau,

You story is very moving and my heart goes out to people that for what ever reason can not be who they are.

Most of the gays I know in Hawaii are asian american just like me. It seems after the "aids plague," most of them have elected to stay in the closet, and won't even tell their parents, thus perpetuating the stereotype that there isn't many gay asians! (sigh)

It's so funny that you mentioned the "aids plague" because most new cases are among black heterosexual women and according to recent studies one reason why is the homophobic attitude among black Americans. Interesting findings....this is one of many articless on the subject.

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1077/is_8_56/ai_75247876 (http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1077/is_8_56/ai_75247876)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2006/06/05/MNGJ0J8H7P1.DTL

The fact that your friends have moved back says a lot about their courage and fortitude to come back to the place that they love and try to hopefully change the attitudes that condemn them. I wish you all the best and many thanks for your insight. :D