On behalf of all the Southern, bespectacled sissy boys, thanks for writing this. The story of the homophobic, greedy, gluttonous 1980s is also a story of fighting, resistance, and collaboration. We won then and we will win again .
We can see what happens when people are driven by fear--our country is under this spell right now and we are weakening by the day. What if we all knew that we could learn and benefit from each other's gifts. Life would be so much richer. Thank you, Silas, for all that you do in making this richness apparent.
Thank you for this beautiful and moving piece. Growing up in West Virginia in the 60s, I recall the oft-quoted expression: "Kids can be so mean." Back then, it was stuff like "you're retarded," or "you could drive a truck through that gap in your teeth." It's become much more serious and toxic as the bullies are now armed with weapons other than their words; many times they carry physical weapons, in addition to the hate for what they consider "the other," which is fully sanctioned by the current administration. Yes, kids can be mean, but adults can be much meaner. I stand proudly with my gay friends and neighbors, not only during Pride Month, but every single day.
Silas, you have been a light for me for such a long time, and October feels so, so far away for the release of your next novel. Congratulations. I grew up in Clarksville, TN, in the 1960s, and met my husband (and partner of 45 years now) in high school. That sentence can imply a fairytale, and many ways we are blessed, but coming into our sexuality, into ourselves, in 1980, reveals a lot of the story. Our careers carried us away from the South many years ago, but you never leave it behind — the good and the bad. There was so much of each in my life.
The Tulip Poplar has always been my favorite tree among so many favorites, including Magnolia grandiflora, Cercis canadensis, and the ironwood, Ostrya virginiana. When I came across an ironwood tree during solo time in the woods, I would grip it and hold it tight, feeling its strength in my hands and, through it, the strength of a man I was yet to love, who I longed to hold me. Trees are special and empowering; they are church.
"All of Us Strangers" may be my favorite queer film. I have seen it time and again. It haunts me, it uplifts me, it resurfaces so much emotion. The performances of all four cast members are extraordinary.
"The power of love
A force from above
Cleaning my soul
Flame on, burn desire
Love with tongues of fire
Purge the soul
Make love your goal"
- The Power of Love, Frankie Goes to Hollywood, end titles for "All of Us Strangers."
This just hurts my heart to read this. I moved to Lexington from Eastern Kentucky in the late 1980s. I loved Lexington! It was so wonderful to see all people being accepted and welcomed, no matter their color or sexuality. I remember thinking the world is getting better and we can all live together in peace. When I would go home to visit I couldn’t wait to go back across the Clay’s Ferry Bridge to Lexington! I would sing as loud as possible as I went across, “ Thank God I’m back in Fayette County!” At that time, I thought the whole country would eventually see the light and we were moving toward equality for all. And now, we have this…..our country moving backward to open misogyny, racial and sexual prejudice. I’m praying the pendulum swings back to some sort of sanity for all of us. Silas, we all love you and look forward to your new book.
I absolutely loved All of Us Strangers for the portrait of trauma and skittishness, it’s relationship to the past; how we carry all those pieces inside and they are still so alive& in relationship with us. The Tulip Poplars is rich territory! so meaningful
The arc of the moral universe may be long, but it does indeed bend toward justice. That doesn’t mean it’s always bending upward. At times it is forced downward by the immoral, tolerated by the apathetic. But folks who are kind, compassionate and loving will always stop the downward push eventually.
The apathetic are now witnessing and awakening to turn against the intense prejudice, bigotry and hatred of the immoral. It is the good people, currently apathetic, who will be our allies in pushing the arc back upward. Love will prevail if hope is not lost. Better days are ahead for us all.❤️🏳️🌈
I admire your honest words and your living your truth. Thought you might like to read my truth. I wrote "Inside the Rainbow" three years ago and submitted it to The Tennessean in Nashville for Pride Month. They accepted it but kept pushing the publication date until June had come and gone. I withdrew it from consideration. The next year (June 2024) I started my Substack Debbie Does Digress. Primarily to put this essay into the world. I reshared it on Facebook on June 1, 2026. Fortunately, I received no hate responses. Several “loves.” My reputation for standing up to haters may keep them quiet. Maybe not.
On behalf of all the Southern, bespectacled sissy boys, thanks for writing this. The story of the homophobic, greedy, gluttonous 1980s is also a story of fighting, resistance, and collaboration. We won then and we will win again .
We can see what happens when people are driven by fear--our country is under this spell right now and we are weakening by the day. What if we all knew that we could learn and benefit from each other's gifts. Life would be so much richer. Thank you, Silas, for all that you do in making this richness apparent.
Silas,
Thank you for this beautiful and moving piece. Growing up in West Virginia in the 60s, I recall the oft-quoted expression: "Kids can be so mean." Back then, it was stuff like "you're retarded," or "you could drive a truck through that gap in your teeth." It's become much more serious and toxic as the bullies are now armed with weapons other than their words; many times they carry physical weapons, in addition to the hate for what they consider "the other," which is fully sanctioned by the current administration. Yes, kids can be mean, but adults can be much meaner. I stand proudly with my gay friends and neighbors, not only during Pride Month, but every single day.
Silas, you have been a light for me for such a long time, and October feels so, so far away for the release of your next novel. Congratulations. I grew up in Clarksville, TN, in the 1960s, and met my husband (and partner of 45 years now) in high school. That sentence can imply a fairytale, and many ways we are blessed, but coming into our sexuality, into ourselves, in 1980, reveals a lot of the story. Our careers carried us away from the South many years ago, but you never leave it behind — the good and the bad. There was so much of each in my life.
The Tulip Poplar has always been my favorite tree among so many favorites, including Magnolia grandiflora, Cercis canadensis, and the ironwood, Ostrya virginiana. When I came across an ironwood tree during solo time in the woods, I would grip it and hold it tight, feeling its strength in my hands and, through it, the strength of a man I was yet to love, who I longed to hold me. Trees are special and empowering; they are church.
"All of Us Strangers" may be my favorite queer film. I have seen it time and again. It haunts me, it uplifts me, it resurfaces so much emotion. The performances of all four cast members are extraordinary.
"The power of love
A force from above
Cleaning my soul
Flame on, burn desire
Love with tongues of fire
Purge the soul
Make love your goal"
- The Power of Love, Frankie Goes to Hollywood, end titles for "All of Us Strangers."
I agree about the performances and I think it's a testimony to the endearing bigotry of the Academy that none of them received Oscar nominations.
Thank you Silas. Your voice is so full of truth and life
This just hurts my heart to read this. I moved to Lexington from Eastern Kentucky in the late 1980s. I loved Lexington! It was so wonderful to see all people being accepted and welcomed, no matter their color or sexuality. I remember thinking the world is getting better and we can all live together in peace. When I would go home to visit I couldn’t wait to go back across the Clay’s Ferry Bridge to Lexington! I would sing as loud as possible as I went across, “ Thank God I’m back in Fayette County!” At that time, I thought the whole country would eventually see the light and we were moving toward equality for all. And now, we have this…..our country moving backward to open misogyny, racial and sexual prejudice. I’m praying the pendulum swings back to some sort of sanity for all of us. Silas, we all love you and look forward to your new book.
I absolutely loved All of Us Strangers for the portrait of trauma and skittishness, it’s relationship to the past; how we carry all those pieces inside and they are still so alive& in relationship with us. The Tulip Poplars is rich territory! so meaningful
Well said! Thank you! Timely too as I just finished All These Ghosts today. At 72 almost there to being myself and not “like the rest of em.”
Thank you Silas, as always, for your insights and heartfelt words. The world is a much more beautiful place with you in it.
The arc of the moral universe may be long, but it does indeed bend toward justice. That doesn’t mean it’s always bending upward. At times it is forced downward by the immoral, tolerated by the apathetic. But folks who are kind, compassionate and loving will always stop the downward push eventually.
The apathetic are now witnessing and awakening to turn against the intense prejudice, bigotry and hatred of the immoral. It is the good people, currently apathetic, who will be our allies in pushing the arc back upward. Love will prevail if hope is not lost. Better days are ahead for us all.❤️🏳️🌈
I cannot seem to locate the link to preorder The Tulip Poplars.
Sorry about that; the post has been updated with an embedded link, but I'm pasting it in here for you as well. Thanks for your interest. https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/silas-house/the-tulip-poplars/9781643756974/
Thank you for this piece.
A beautiful movie, followed by your beautiful words. Cheers to Pride.
I admire your honest words and your living your truth. Thought you might like to read my truth. I wrote "Inside the Rainbow" three years ago and submitted it to The Tennessean in Nashville for Pride Month. They accepted it but kept pushing the publication date until June had come and gone. I withdrew it from consideration. The next year (June 2024) I started my Substack Debbie Does Digress. Primarily to put this essay into the world. I reshared it on Facebook on June 1, 2026. Fortunately, I received no hate responses. Several “loves.” My reputation for standing up to haters may keep them quiet. Maybe not.
https://debbiedoesdigress.substack.com/p/inside-the-rainbow
A moving and thought-provoking example of how stories can help us increase our understanding of ourselves and each other.
Important and thoughtful essay. What a cutie you were. You gotta wonder about people who are so threatened by someone else’s love.