Friendship Chronicles

"Chris and I have found that bridging the sexual orientation gulf is one of our toughest socio-ethical challenges in American culture because of the bedrock insecurity, angst, and self-doubt involved. We males are more uptight about sexual identity than anything imaginable, even our own mortality. Issues of erotic preference cause us to squirm, become defensive and rigid, often lash out belligerently. Conversely, when we men--gays, straights, and bisexuals--risk moving from closets to closeness, speaking our deepest truths, venturing beneath surfaces, beyond expectations, and beside prejudices, the results are frequently most gratifying indeed. That has certainly proven true for the two of us. Friendship between men, in an increasingly impersonal, macho, lonely even violent culture, is no longer a luxury but a necessity. We males have contributed to a patriarchal system which dehumanizes us all. We must unlearn that training, starting here, starting now. However, fostering male friendships will require all the creativity and integrity we men can muster; for we dwell in a society which is both homophobic and philiaphobic. This double whammy renders male intimacy a rare accomplishment."--Introduction, pages xi-xii.