Mae West: Sodomy Laws

Many great minds have contemplated MAE WEST — — but great minds don’t think alike. Academic and author Chase Dimock has written an interesting article on Mae as a playwright. This is Part 22.
• • Why Don’t You Come Up Sometime and Queer Me? • •
• • Reclaiming Mae West as Author and Sexual Philosopher • •
• • the sodomy laws • •
• • Chase Dimock wrote: The Doctor expands his critique of the law’s inability to properly determine the legal status of the psyche to include sodomy laws, “I’ve got a poor devil in there right now, whom you’d call a criminal—a degenerate—an outcast, and yet in his own mind, he’s committing no wrong—he’s doing nothing save what he should do—his very lack of normality is normality to him. I’d call him a trick of fate—a misfit of nature.” To which the judge responds “Nature has no misfits. Look at the trees — the flowers.” and the Doctor retorts“ — but how do we know they aren’t misfits.”
• • Chase Dimock wrote: The Judge reflects a certain Social Darwinist gaze upon the world, while the Doctor begins to question the categories of normality, but not the power relations of normativity itself.
• • a preconceived notion • • ..
• • His article will be continued on the next post.
• • Source: As It Ought to Be
• • Chase Dimock, who teaches Literature and Composition at College of the Canyons, is Managing Editor of As It Ought to Be.

• • On Monday, 2 October 1922 • •
• • Citing the Billboard Index, author Jon Tuska said Mae appeared in "Playmates" on the Mutual Circuit [week of 2 October 1922].  "Playmates" was a burlesque show.
• • Overheard in Hollywood • •
• • Miss West's age has long been a matter of debate in the film colony.
• • In Her Own Words • •
• • Mae West said: "Too many women make the mistake of waking up some morning and saying, 'I am no longer attractive to men.'  That does it, brother, from then on they're not!"
• • Quote, Unquote • •
• • A U.P.I. columnist mentioned Mae West.
• • Mae West, the voluptuous 'Come Up And See Me Gal • •
• • Vernon Scott wrote: HOLLYWOOD — — Mae West, the voluptuous 'Come Up And See Me Sometime' siren of the 1930s, was moved out of the intensive care unit and back to a regular room Wednesday to continue her recovery from two strokes and a serious fall.
• • Vernon Scott wrote: Miss West, who is listed in stable condition, was admitted to Good Samaritan Hospital Aug. 11 after suffering a concussion and stroke in a fall at her home. She suffered a second paralytic stroke while at the hospital. …
• • Source: Article by U.P.I.; published on Wednesday, 1 October 1980
• • The evolution of 2 Mae West plays that keep her memory alive • • 
• • A discussion with Mae West playwright LindaAnn LoSchiavo — — 
• • http://lideamagazine.com/renaissance-woman-new-york-city-interview-lindaann-loschiavo/

• • The Mae West Blog celebrates its 14th anniversary • •  

• • Thank you for reading, sending questions, and posting comments during these past fourteen years. Not long ago, we entertained 3,497 visitors. And we reached a milestone recently when we completed 4,000 blog posts. Wow!  

• • By the Numbers • •
• • The Mae West Blog was started fourteen years ago in July 2004. You are reading the 4055th blog post. Unlike many blogs, which draw upon reprinted content from a newspaper or a magazine and/ or summaries, links, or photos, the mainstay of this blog is its fresh material focused on the life and career of Mae West, herself an American original.

• • Come up and see Mae every day online: http://MaeWest.blogspot.com/
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• • Photo: • • Mae West • • in 1923 • •
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