I had to come back and say something about the death of one of my favorite authors, Mr. E. Lynn Harris. Harris passed away after collapsing suddenly at an L.A. stop on his book tour. This man didn't just open the dialogue about "non-identifying males who sleep with males" (uh , yeah, down low brotha's), he kicked the door open and never looked back.
There is something bothering about Mr. Harris' death (besides the fact that we will no longer have his great work to look forward to).
CAN SOMEONE PLEASE RIDDLE ME THIS: Why is it that EVERY EFFING TIME a homosexual person dies suddenly, the rumors AIDS/HIV rumors immediately start popping up? It is an absolute possibility that Mr. Harris was stricken with that terrible disease. It is also possible that just about anyone who dies suddenly in this day and age may have been infected. It is also possible that he had a brain tumor, an aneurysm, hyper-thyroid ism, or any number of ailments. But because he was a gay man, all you hear is, "oohh I bet he had that package."
Why are people so stupid? It really drives me crazy(er)! We may come to find out that Mr. Harris did have HIV/AIDS. We may find out that he didn't. But that seed will always be in someones mind about his sudden death. It's unfortunate and unfair.
One thing that I have learned about my community is that, if no one else is getting tested, we are(understand that my community includes all professional, educated, established, non club hopping, non bed hopping, rainbow belt/earring/bumper sticker/bracelet/shoestring/suspenders all at the same time members of the GLBT community). Its more often than not those closet cases, the women with husbands who want to lay up with the hot chick from work every time she gets the chance, and, of course the "covered" types, that have bought into the lie that they are selling the world so deeply that they really don't believe that they need to be tested. We are in a sad, sad, state.
E.Lynn Harris was an amazing writer, educator, and philanthropist. He will be truly missed.
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