The obit is available on the NY Times site (subscription req'd.):

Harry Hay, 90, Early Proponent of Gay Rights, Is Dead

By DUDLEY CLENDINEN

"Harry Hay, who founded a secret organization six decades ago that proved to be the catalyst for the American gay rights movement, died early Thursday morning at his home in San Francisco. He was 90."

"Although little known in the broader national culture over the years, Mr. Hay's contribution was to do what no one else had done before: plant the idea among American homosexuals that they formed an oppressed cultural minority of their own, like blacks, and to create a lasting organization in which homosexuals could come together to socialize and to pursue what was, at the beginning, the very radical concept of homosexual rights."

I saw Harry Hay speak once. I didn't agree with a lot of what he said, but it was awesome to be in the presence of someone who was VERY ballsy to do what he did in the 50's.

I noticed Will (Grandpa Walton) Geer got credit in the Times for introducing Harry to socialism / activism, but it doesn't mention they were a couple once. Yes, Grandpa was America's most beloved gay ex-Communist!

Knew the name, but did not know that his contribution was that central to our movement. Wow.

He looked good for his age in his later years.

[ October 25, 2002: Message edited by: bluebird48234 ]

This SF Chronicle article from today's online edition gives a bit more info about Harry:

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c...25/BA142097.DTL

Hey, I heard that Will Geer was a big-time Mormon!?!

Grampa Walton may have been Mormon, but I have also read that he was a guest a Rock Hudson's parties - the ones with all the pretty boys around the pool - think it's pretty clear he was family.

As for Harry Hay, not only did he do an amazing amount for the early gay movement (although I don't get the whole Radical Faerie idea - to each his own), he had the good luck and stamina to see so many fruits of his labor, in terms of gay rights, etc. (okay, now all the jokes about fruits).