July *i. ffln?
toward himself, both as a person of Jewish
descent and as a gay man, were unfortunate
constants. His long succession of romances,
disguised in his fiction, are detailed by W hite
with even parts honesty, empathy and fascinat­
ing socio-historical perspective.
W ith this consummate minibiography, W hite
offers an accessible volume on a subject he clearly
understands well, exploring and explaining the
subtle and complex connections between Proust’s
life and work. Marcel Proust is a read that’s at
once graceful, informative and gratifying.
— CM
SlSSYPHOBIA: GAY MEN
E ffem in ate B eh avio r
and
by Tim Bergling. Harrington Park Press, 2001 ;
$14.95 softcover.
ave you ever sneered at an effeminate
____ man sashaying along Stark Street? Ever
tried to butch up your act in order not
to be thought of as gay? Ever wonder why only
the “freaks” at Gay Pride are shown on TV? If
st>, then you suffer from “sissyphobia."
In his book,
Sissyphobia: Gay
Men and Effemi-
nate Behavior Tim
Bergling sets out
to examine pre­
vailing attitudes
of both gay and
straight men
toward their
effeminate
brethren. He
defines sissy­
phobia as
Continued
on Page 28
s an associate professor of music at
Lewis & Clark College and as a
writer, Nora Beck takes a practical
approach to her interests in schol­
arship and art. “T he idea behind my life is to
have teaching be my source of income while
allowing me to do what 1 want artistically.”
ha? nothing on P o r t i o n J w r i te r |\ J o r o 0 e c k
T he juggling act hasn’t been easy. Beck notes
that there are “different pulls between the schol­
tq
kCudej
arly and artistic world.” But securing a tenured
position allowed the lesbian author to take a
sabbatical and finish her new novel, Fiammetta.
T he book intersects the lives of a professor,
Fiammetta, who is traveling to Italy to present
a lecture, and Jennifer, an art dealer’s young
assistant, who is kidnapped after uncovering a
hoax. Beck draws on her music background to
create a text that is multilayered, with a struc­
ture that she hopes will allow readers to experi­
ence words in a musical way.
T he storylines intertwine like various
instruments, in a musical score, and the main
narrative is broken up with intermezzo chapters
that include stories, poems and drawings. C har­
acters converge and move apart as the plot fol­
lows the relationships between Fiammetta and
her lovers, Jennifer and her husband, Fiammet­
ta and Jennifer (who bond over foreign travel)
and both women and their families.
Beck draws inspiration from
the Decameron, a N th century
text by Giovanni Boccaccio, in
which 10 acquaintances leave
take steps to ensure the welfare of gay, lesbian,
By that she means books that
the plague-struck Florence to
bi and trans student athletes. She and three
come from the heart. The new
spend time away from the death
students from schools around the country will
publisher plans to put out one or
and grief in their city. The group
address the issue at an upcoming meeting of
two books a year, giving a voice
settles in a country home where, for
N C A A representatives in Providence, R.I.
to lesbians who might not other­
10 days, they dine on fine foods,
As a teacher, Beck encourages students to
wise have the opportunity to get
entertain each other with music and
bring their whole selves to assignments, often
their words in print because of
song, and regale in personal stories.
taking a nontraditional approach that fosters
the
nature
of
the
work
or
a
One of this group is called Fiammetta
creative expression. In the core curriculum class
lack of mass market appeal.
(meaning “little flame”), and she’s
“Inventing
America” she challenges students to
known for her intelligence, indepen­
write their own operas about history. In music
neck’s expertise lies in medieval Italy, an
dence and assertiveness.
appreciation, she encouraged them to do some­
area that incorporates her Italian heritage
Beck’s nonlinear approach to her own
thing with music they have always wanted to
and attraction to interdisciplinary works.
work allows readers to jump in wherever they
do but have never tried. Students composed
She observes that during medieval times, artists
want. “I wanted to do something fun with
music, wrote songs and even started bands. This
such as Dante and Hildegard von Bingen were
this,” she explains. “Readers can revisit sec­
innovative teaching style inspired students to
respected as poets, scientists and scholars,
tions, just like one might relisten to a particu­
name
her Professor of the Year in 1998.
whereas today, there is little crossover between
lar passage in music.”
Fiammetta closes with the narrator confess­
academia and art.
Beck considers Fiammetta to be the second
ing,
“I’ve tried to make something as true to
The author strives to create this kind of
hook in a trilogy. Its precursor, the lesbian
my heart as possible.” T h at pretty much sums
interdisciplinary lifestyle. In addition to her
coming-of-age story Cauliflower Head, is
up
what Nora Beck has done with her book—
writing—
which
also
includes
Singing
in
the
Gar'
being held at W omen’s Work Press, which
and with her life as well. in
den: Music and Culture in Tuscan Trecento and
has yet to establish a publication date.
numerous short stories, poetry and music
Beck decided to take matters into her
Visit C arlton S treet P ress at
reviews—she co-founded Sexual Minorities in
own hands the second time around and
www. carltonstreetpress. com.
Athletics, a national nonprofit organization ded­
started Carlton Street Press. “Lesbian
icated to fighting homophobia in college sports.
presses have quietly gone by the way-
KAREN K ud EJ is a program associate at Literary
Recalling her own closeted days as a basket­
side... I really wanted to create a press for
Arts in Portland.
ball player at Barnard College, she wanted to
‘honest’ books.”
A
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