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It is hard not to cringe at the phrase "gay community's progress", the overly simplified, unhelpful subtitle of critic Alex Ross's article, " Love On The March". But pushing past it is worth it. In the piece Ross explores his view on what has changed politically (and to a degree culturally) for lesbian and gay people over the last few decades. It is a specific point of view based on Ross's background, but one that given the readership of the New Yorker, will be new to many readers.
Key in Ross's journey is the role HIV/AIDS plays in his understanding of what it means to be gay, and the relationship between sexuality and politics. While he could have fleshed his ideas around HIV more, what he includes is interesting. Accompanying the article is a conversation between Ross and the writer Hilton Als. Again, HIV plays a pivotal role in the conversation. Both discuss the foundational role the virus and the reaction to it plays in forming their sense of self.
Read the article here: LOVE ON THE MARCH
Listen to the conversation here: GAY CULTURE AND ASSIMILATION