ItIsNottheHomosexualWhoIsPerverse,ButtheSocietyinWhichHeLives(NichtderHomosexuelleistpervers,sonderndieSituation,indererlebt)istheearnesttitleofRosavonPraunheim’s1971PG-chastefirstfeature,whichhasagedlikegoodcheesefromascandaloussensation(apoliticalwakeupcalltogays)intoatextbookexampleofclassiccamp—andadelightfultimewarptripthroughqueercliché.Theverycolorfulcolorfilm(shotMOS)openswithvonPraunheim’scameratrailingtwofags—oneblonde,onebrunette—walkingdownasunnyBerlinstreet.Daniel,theshybrunette,isnewtothebigcityandblondeClemensisgenerouslyofferinghimaplacetostay.(WeknowthisbytheheavilyGerman-accentedEnglish,dubbedandspokenina“Sprockets”cadence.)“It’ssohardtofindsomeonewho’ssincere,”Clemens’voicesaysastheycuddleonhisbedbackattheapartment.“Ireallydigyou.”Then,fromoutofnowhere,agrave,German-accented,Moses-likevoiceoverexplainsthat“faggotslongforlovingrelationships”,but“liveinadreamworldofglossymagazinesandHollywoodmovies.”NownakedinbedwithDaniel,Clemensproclaims,“I’dliketothrowthewindowopenandshowthewholeworldhowwonderfulitiswhentwomenareinlove!”Andsoitgoes.DanielfussesoverhishairinthemirrorwhileClemens’heartsickTeutonicvoicenarratestheirnewfounddomesticbliss.“EveryhourandminuteIspentalonewastortureforme.”Luckily,thelovebirdsspendplentyoftimedoingthingslike“watchingtelevisiontofurtheroureducation”andhousecleaningtogether.Theyalsoreadorwriteletters.“DearMother,”Daniel’svoicebegins.Butalas,asClemensstaresintoacabinetchockfullofknickknacks,thatdamnnaggingMosesvoiceoverreturns.“Faggotstrytoimitatemiddleclassmarriage,”hehisses,holdingforthonthesubjectofmentaughttobeincompetitionwithoneanother,tobeself-involved—doomingthefaggotrelationship.Nextthingyouknow,Daniel’ssadvoicesighs,“Fourmonthshavepassed.I’vedecidedtoleaveClemens.”Thenajaunty,genialGermannarratorintones,“Danielwasoftencruisedbyawell-to-doman.”Andthere’sgirlfriendstrollingalongwiththetight-panted“benefactorathiscountryestate!”Astheystopforaglassofchampagnebesideastatue,Mosesabruptlythundersaboutthemyththatthehomosexual’s“interestintheartsisawaytomakelifemorebearable,”wheninreality“theartsareatoolfortherichandpowerful,”foritmakesit“mucheasiertogetthemintobed.”Cuttoapianoandawild-eyedfagsingingaboutDeutschland!Nearby,thebenefactorplayswithhisascot,agaudysilverringintheshapeofaninsectonhisfinger.Thecamerapullsbackandpansaroundtheroomfulofoldqueensrespectfullylisteningtotherecital.Mosesannounces,“Youthandgoodlooksaretremendouslyimportanttooldfags.”LikeHitchcock’sbirds,theelderlyMarysaresuddenlyswarmingoverpoorDaniel—whogetsnauseousandrunsoutthedoor.Thenit’sofftoanoutdoorcafé—withabigsignreading“MobyDick’s.”ThegenialGermannarratorinformsthatDaniel’sfoundanewjobworkingata“meetingplaceforhomosexuals”where“conversationsaboutfilm,fashionandphysicalculturegivehimideasabouthowtofillhisleisuretime.”Mosesbuttsintoaddthatfaggots“gathertolistentoNinaSimone,JudyGarlandandBarbraStreisand”and“gatheratFireIslandandSanFrancisco.”Heintones,“Fashionhastobelikeasecondskinthatsuggeststhesizeofthecock.”Asissysauntersdownthestreetinknee-highmoccasinsandshorts.Mosesalsowarns,“Theyoungfagmustgiveuphisinterestsformorehomosexualinterests.”Andthere’sDanielsunninghimselfwithhisfellowhomosexuals!Mosessnipes,“Hewasentrancedbyhisstrongbodyandbutchstyle”asatorso,hairychestandtightbluejeans,appearsinmediumcloseup.ThegenialGermanoffers,“Danielcouldsitforhoursandenjoybeingcruised.”Then:“WolfganghadalotincommonwithDaniel”asthetwomop-haired,mutton-choppedboysrublotionononeanother.Butallisnotwellinfairyland.MosesbringsnewsthatDanielhasbegungoingtogaybars—isbecomingaddicted!And,yup,there’sDaniel,wanderingaroundadarkanddingyhole.Mosesexplains,“It’seasyforfaggotstofindoneanotherbecausetheyofferthemselvesonstreetcornerslikewhores.”Cuttoaqueenhavingahissyfitinfrontofthebarasanothertriestocalmherdown,allwhileMosesholdsforthonsadfags,howtheydon’tknowhowtousetheirsexualfreedomforhappiness,howtheir“greatestenemyistheconspicuousqueen.”Twofairiesinshortshortsappearintheframe,fawningovertwoembarrassedfags.Moseslaments,“Danielnowhasnootherinterestthanbeingafag.”Cuttoamotorcyclegang,leatherboyscruisingoneanotheramongstthenighttimetrees.Theyfeelupeachother’szippers,chains,andstuds—aclothedgropefestasMosesteachesthat,otherthan“trans-westites,[who]longforwomen’sorgans,leatherfreaksarethefagswiththemosthang-ups.”Infact,“Theleatherqueersarereallynice,politepeoplewhosufferfromtheirownweakness.”Andthat’swhenDaniel,“boredwithtalking,”fatefullyleavesthebarscenefortheparkwherehe“slowlymadehiswaythroughthetensechoreographyofmen.”(SosayethMoses.)Cuttooutsideapublicrestroom(a“well-knownmeetingplace”).Menwhocruiserestrooms“despisetearoomtrade,”thevoiceofMosestrembles.Hustlers—“usuallyrunawaysfrombrokenhomes”whoare“oftennotqueer”—frequentthesespots.(Assortedhustlersandfagsmillaboutasapieceofroughtradestandslikeasentinelinfrontofthedoor.)Agroupofqueersemergeandpilecircus-styleintoacar.AnoldfagcruisesDanielbutstrikesout(duh!)beforegettingbeatupbyroughtrade.Nextup:adragqueensinginginamixedhomobar—atattooedleatherdaddystaringstoicallyfromatablenearby.Andthere’sDaniel!He’s“drowninghimselfinalcoholandcigarettes”whileotherfagstryto“forgetthemselvesinafranticatmosphere”—i.e.,ablackguyandawhiteguydoingachickendanceto“RockAroundTheClock”,whichblaresfromthejukebox.Anoldyodelingqueenappears.DanielseeshisfriendPaul,asksifhecangobacktohiscommunalpad.Andthat’swherevonPraunheim’sfilmfinallyreachesitsclimax—apsychotherapysessionwithagroupofnakedfags!Sittinginacircle,theyberateDanielintheirdubbedvoices.“You’vebecomearealfulltimefaggot!”“You’rebecomingneurotic,awhorewhodoesn’tevengetpaid!”TheTeutonicaccentsstartcallingforagayprideawakening,aconsciousness-raising“We’rehere,we’requeer!”movement.“Queensandbutcheshavetostopopposingandfighttogethersidebyside!”“Comeoutofthecloset!Taketothestreets!”“Eroticallyfree!Sociallyinvolved!”Thecommentarycontinuesevenasthecreditsrolloverapinkbackground—evenasIcan’tstoplaughingoverthe“trans-westites,”leatherfreaks,andglorioustearoomtrade.
