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Thread started 09/08/09 1:09pm

GirlBrother

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J.F.K.'s Best Friend Was...

...gay.

I just read about this today. His name was Lem Billings.






From Wikipedia:

In Victorian times, Lem might have been described as a "confirmed bachelor," although by the end of his own lifetime he would have been described as gay. In a 2007 book review of Jack and Lem, The New Haven Register interviewed the author [David Pitts] and quoted from the book:

    "Jack made a big difference in my life," Billings said. "Because of him, I was never lonely. He may have been the reason I never got married."


However, the relationship between the two men was friendship. "It’s the story of a really close friendship — and one of the guys just happened to be what we think of today as gay," Pitts said. John F. Kennedy was well aware of his friend's sexual orientation, as Billings had conveyed his interest in Kennedy early in their friendship. Kennedy rebuffed his advances sharply but actively continued the friendship for the rest of his life. Jackie Kennedy, who liked Billings for the most part, commented to a White House usher, "He (Lem) has been a house guest every weekend of my married life."


I just find it really intriguing that it's usually the hyper-heterosexual guys whom are more likely to be accepting of gay men. It's the insecure, weaker straight men whom always seem to have a problem.
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Reply #1 posted 09/08/09 1:14pm

DesireeNevermi
nd

^ well of course. the hyper hetero guys are the ones getting all the chicks and half the time with the aid of their gay home boys. JFK was a Ho and I'd bet money that Lem was hooking him up with the ladies and playing the role of "cover."
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Reply #2 posted 09/08/09 1:18pm

Graycap23

More 2 this story I'm sure.
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Reply #3 posted 09/08/09 1:22pm

GirlBrother

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DesireeNevermind said:

JFK was a Ho and I'd bet money that Lem was hooking him up with the ladies and playing the role of "cover."


boxed I've actually done that for a straight friend. His mother was dying of cancer; he was all over the place emotionally and I just wanted him to be happy. I covered for him whilst he basically had a three month affair.

God knows what his wife thought, everytime he told her he was with me. I wasn't her favourite person for a long time. It was six or seven years ago. He never strayed again and his wife is still clueless. After he'd gotten over his mother finally dying, I told him that he was never to put me in that position again.
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Reply #4 posted 09/08/09 1:25pm

DesireeNevermi
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GirlBrother said:

DesireeNevermind said:

JFK was a Ho and I'd bet money that Lem was hooking him up with the ladies and playing the role of "cover."


boxed I've actually done that for a straight friend. His mother was dying of cancer; he was all over the place emotionally and I just wanted him to be happy. I covered for him whilst he basically had a three month affair.

God knows what his wife thought, everytime he told her he was with me. I wasn't her favourite person for a long time. It was six or seven years ago. He never strayed again and his wife is still clueless. After he'd gotten over his mother finally dying, I told him that he was never to put me in that position again.



Wow. eek She never knew really? See that's a rough position to be in because you're basically lying for someone else. But then, we do a lot for our close friends so what the hay.
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Reply #5 posted 09/08/09 1:37pm

GirlBrother

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DesireeNevermind said:

Wow. eek She never knew really? See that's a rough position to be in because you're basically lying for someone else. But then, we do a lot for our close friends so what the hay.


What's worse is that (much later) he seemed to blame me for "allowing him" to go off the rails. I know that what I did was classic enabling behaviour... But he gave me no option. It's a long story. It was a horrible period.

Anyway, we're all friends again now. I was at his home for dinner on Sunday evening, with him, his wife and kids.
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Reply #6 posted 09/08/09 1:41pm

DesireeNevermi
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GirlBrother said:

DesireeNevermind said:

Wow. eek She never knew really? See that's a rough position to be in because you're basically lying for someone else. But then, we do a lot for our close friends so what the hay.


What's worse is that (much later) he seemed to blame me for "allowing him" to go off the rails. I know that what I did was classic enabling behaviour... But he gave me no option. It's a long story. It was a horrible period.

Anyway, we're all friends again now. I was at his home for dinner on Sunday evening, with him, his wife and kids.


Dayum. Well at least things turned out good for everybody in the end. smile
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Reply #7 posted 09/08/09 1:45pm

GirlBrother

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DesireeNevermind said:

Dayum. Well at least things turned out good for everybody in the end. smile


Well, except for his bit-on-the-side whom he dumped. I try not to think about her. sad

Anyway... J.F.K. Loved the gays!
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Reply #8 posted 09/08/09 1:51pm

Lammastide

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I think this is cool. It IS possible for a straight guy and a gay guy to be very close friends without any sort of weird sordid stuff existing between them. Too many folk (straight and gay) assume otherwise.
Ὅσον ζῇς φαίνου
μηδὲν ὅλως σὺ λυποῦ
πρὸς ὀλίγον ἐστὶ τὸ ζῆν
τὸ τέλος ὁ χρόνος ἀπαιτεῖ.”
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Reply #9 posted 09/08/09 2:27pm

DesireeNevermi
nd

GirlBrother said:

DesireeNevermind said:

Dayum. Well at least things turned out good for everybody in the end. smile


Well, except for his bit-on-the-side whom he dumped. I try not to think about her. sad

Anyway... J.F.K. Loved the gays!



falloff aw that aint right. she was an innocent bystander. um...wasn't she? lol
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Reply #10 posted 09/08/09 2:41pm

GirlBrother

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DesireeNevermind said:

GirlBrother said:


his bit-on-the-side whom he dumped. I try not to think about her. sad



she was an innocent bystander. um...wasn't she?


Um... She knew he was married, but she was lead to believe that they were on the verge of divorce and he would leave his wife for her.

He never gave her his contact details. The only fixed telephone number she had was mine. She phoned me up, crying her heart out to me when he broke it off with her. She was begging me to "make him see sense" etc... She was even asking that me and her stay friends... It was really horrible. I felt like a pimp or something. I changed my phone number soon after.

It wasn't my proudest moment. sad

I feel really angry at him again, thinking about all this stuff right now.
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Reply #11 posted 09/08/09 2:55pm

SCNDLS

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DesireeNevermind said:

^ well of course. the hyper hetero guys are the ones getting all the chicks and half the time with the aid of their gay home boys. JFK was a Ho and I'd bet money that Lem was hooking him up with the ladies and playing the role of "cover."

Or they are on the DL hence why they're "hyper hetero"
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Reply #12 posted 09/08/09 3:05pm

DesireeNevermi
nd

SCNDLS said:

DesireeNevermind said:

^ well of course. the hyper hetero guys are the ones getting all the chicks and half the time with the aid of their gay home boys. JFK was a Ho and I'd bet money that Lem was hooking him up with the ladies and playing the role of "cover."

Or they are on the DL hence why they're "hyper hetero"



hmmm You got a point there sis. I always thought of hyper hetero as men who really dig pussy but not so much talk about it versus the guy who just talks about it but never gets nowhere near the kitty.
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Reply #13 posted 09/08/09 3:08pm

SCNDLS

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DesireeNevermind said:

SCNDLS said:


Or they are on the DL hence why they're "hyper hetero"



hmmm You got a point there sis. I always thought of hyper hetero as men who really dig pussy but not so much talk about it versus the guy who just talks about it but never gets nowhere near the kitty.

I've been around a lot of super masculine athletes, that were married and fucked around on the side with multiple hoes. But that didn't stop them from fucking around with dudes and having their heels in the air. lol
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Reply #14 posted 09/08/09 3:10pm

DesireeNevermi
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SCNDLS said:

DesireeNevermind said:




hmmm You got a point there sis. I always thought of hyper hetero as men who really dig pussy but not so much talk about it versus the guy who just talks about it but never gets nowhere near the kitty.

I've been around a lot of super masculine athletes, that were married and fucked around on the side with multiple hoes. But that didn't stop them from fucking around with dudes and having their heels in the air. lol



You keep talking like that Ima think there's no straight guys left in the world except the ones I'm related to and you know I aint down with no inbreeding. hmph! Dayum wars!!! bawl
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Reply #15 posted 09/08/09 3:14pm

SCNDLS

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DesireeNevermind said:

SCNDLS said:


I've been around a lot of super masculine athletes, that were married and fucked around on the side with multiple hoes. But that didn't stop them from fucking around with dudes and having their heels in the air. lol



You keep talking like that Ima think there's no straight guys left in the world except the ones I'm related to and you know I aint down with no inbreeding. hmph! Dayum wars!!! bawl

spit My girlfriends are always accusing me of thinking that all bruthas are gay (which I don't) boxed
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Reply #16 posted 09/08/09 3:18pm

DesireeNevermi
nd

SCNDLS said:

DesireeNevermind said:




You keep talking like that Ima think there's no straight guys left in the world except the ones I'm related to and you know I aint down with no inbreeding. hmph! Dayum wars!!! bawl

spit My girlfriends are always accusing me of thinking that all bruthas are gay (which I don't) boxed



Uh huh lol
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Reply #17 posted 09/09/09 5:51am

Graycap23

SCNDLS said:

DesireeNevermind said:




You keep talking like that Ima think there's no straight guys left in the world except the ones I'm related to and you know I aint down with no inbreeding. hmph! Dayum wars!!! bawl

spit My girlfriends are always accusing me of thinking that all bruthas are gay (which I don't) boxed

Say what?
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Reply #18 posted 09/09/09 5:53am

Dayclear

Who cares?
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Reply #19 posted 09/09/09 5:53am

Dewrede

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and ?
how is this relevant ?
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Reply #20 posted 09/09/09 6:00am

SCNDLS

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Graycap23 said:

SCNDLS said:


spit My girlfriends are always accusing me of thinking that all bruthas are gay (which I don't) boxed

Say what?

'cept you o' course batting eyes
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Reply #21 posted 09/09/09 6:07am

Graycap23

SCNDLS said:

Graycap23 said:


Say what?

'cept you o' course batting eyes

hmmm
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Reply #22 posted 09/09/09 6:33am

Lammastide

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Dewrede said:

and ?
how is this relevant ?

Well, aside from those who'd pander rumor and innuendo, I think one possible relevance has to do with a high-profile person -- and a great hero in many people's minds -- who was close to a gay person without being struck by lightning, "turned," or "corrupted." (J.F.K.'s own dirt, of course, is another discussion. confused) To a lot of people, gay folk are still something they encounter only remotely -- and they remain spooky and personally threatening. This often can pan out in their attitude toward relevant policy.

Along the same line, what I'd personally like to see is more talk about Baynard Rustin and his political influence.
[Edited 9/9/09 11:36am]
Ὅσον ζῇς φαίνου
μηδὲν ὅλως σὺ λυποῦ
πρὸς ὀλίγον ἐστὶ τὸ ζῆν
τὸ τέλος ὁ χρόνος ἀπαιτεῖ.”
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Reply #23 posted 09/09/09 7:05am

novabrkr

Did he post at General Discussion too?
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