Alan Watts: Exploring His Philosophy and Spiritual Teachings

Gay Liberation has traversed a vast landscape, both geographically and intellectually. We, as gay people, have recognized our oppression, and in various ways, we are confronting it. Alongside this, we are also addressing the racism and male chauvinism that exists within our community, particularly towards women and each other.

In the realm of LGBT activism, we are grappling with issues surrounding gender identities and gender chauvinism. At numerous Gay Liberation meetings across four cities, I have quietly raised my voice to discuss the ‘youthism’ that pervades gay life—the chauvinism exhibited by individuals, both young and old, against older gay men. While people listen, the conversation often shifts to other topics.

Now, I am beginning to feel frustrated. It is high time for Gay Liberation to confront its ‘youthism.’ This issue is one of the most entrenched and damaging remnants of our oppression. It is tragic because it leaves a significant portion of our gay community feeling lonely, alienated, and unwanted.

Youthism embodies the unconscious belief that older individuals are inferior. We older gay men are often perceived as lacking in appearance, attractiveness, intelligence, and sexual prowess. Many of us have unwittingly accepted this alleged inferiority, which hampers our ability to connect with other gay men our age—we find ourselves chasing after the eternal eighteen-year-old Adonis.

Young individuals frequently exploit us for various needs—crash pads, money, food, jobs, contacts—and in exchange, they condescend to allow us to assist them.

The goals and aspirations of Gay Liberation seem largely tailored for young gays, leaving older gays behind—not even considering those who are active and engaged in the movement. Young people take our contributions for granted, casually enjoying the benefits (such as draft counseling and crash pads), tossing a quarter in the bucket, and waving goodbye. I’m not suggesting they owe us anything in return, but they should engage as equals.

Who qualifies as an older person? I recall two young guys lamenting to me at a Gay Liberation dance about being pursued by a ‘dirty old man’—who turned out to be just twenty-four years old! And why is it that when an older man shows interest, he’s labeled as dirty?

We often hear about the gay spirit, a spirit characterized by a special tender love. But where is this spirit when so many gays over thirty feel lonely, isolated, rejected, unloved, and unwanted? In the context of gay history, we must learn to connect with one another as human beings.

I hold no animosity towards older men who are attracted to younger guys, nor vice-versa—yes, there are younger men who genuinely appreciate older men. However, when an older man becomes so lost that he cannot connect with someone his own age because he is fixated on every sixteen-year-old, there’s something deeply troubling about that.

Why is he drawn to the sixteen-year-old? Because he believes the physical beauty of youth surpasses that of older men. I reject that notion. At forty-two, I am in better shape than many younger men I’ve encountered. The oppressed older man often internalizes a belief in his diminished beauty. This is absurd. If we were not so conditioned, we would recognize that not all older men are pot-bellied and bald; and even if a man does have a pot belly, it can possess its own kind of beauty, just as baldness, gray hair, and wrinkles can.

The beauty of older men is unique and often overlooked. Their life stories are etched in their bodies, in their gestures, and in their facial expressions. Their bodies are narratives of victories and defeats, of joy and sorrow. Each man has a life story to share, having visited places and traversed paths the young have yet to imagine.

The younger generation cannot be faulted for failing to see this beauty, but older gay men have no excuse for neglecting the attractiveness of their peers.

A young person who is concerned about the unfortunate fate of older gays is, in essence, planning for their own future. Yet, young people often do not truly believe they will someday find themselves at the age of thirty-three! Trust me, it arrives more swiftly than one anticipates.

After being actively involved in Gay Liberation for a full year, I have decided to step back. Throughout my time in Gay Liberation, I’ve encountered more gay individuals than ever before, yet I have never felt so lonely. What a tragic commentary on the state of Gay Liberation.

In the end, Gay Liberation feels akin to masturbation.