An Explanation of HipFaerie and Ideas for Action

It is my perception that the young, neo-Hippie, gay populace needs an outlet for expression. Often times we go to shows, immerse ourselves in the neo-Hip culture, but walk away without having jibed with those we have found, shared in the same experiences as the other "heads," or related to the scene in a wholesome and fulfilling way. Many participants in these "rites" purport themselves to be open, free- spirited, and open-minded. From my own experiences, I see a lot of clique behavior, a closed social structure, and barricades of what I might almost call distrust among the followers of the neo-Hip "dream." For a shy kid on the fringe of it all, it has always seemed to me like an impossibility to find an "in" to the various (and often disconnected) circles of young hip folk. What I am about these days is finding out how gay, lesbian, and bisexual identity changes this dynamic.

My own experiences suggest that gay "hip" youth come up through a different set of world-perceptions than do straight folk who follow more traditional paths. While many of the social and societal structures that affect both gay and straight youth are the same, or at least similar, their effects on each -- the shaping of one's world-view, social development, construct and perception of self -- are often drastically different.

Yet, by not becoming immersed in these circles, I do not know a lot of gay and lesbian "hippies." Thus, I have no foundation for a macroscopic conception of the GLB hippie social dynamic. I want to know. I have to know.

It stirs within me a sensitive sort of pain when I go to shows and feel like I've "missed out" on something -- on the scene, on the music, on the people (and indeed for many bands on the "jam band" circuit the energy of the people and the music are intertwined; read the Guitar World 8/97 or any other interview with Trey Anastasio). I fall into and out of the "flow" dynamic that occurs at shows. There's a sense of brotherly and sisterly love floating around, yet when I try to dive into it I am often met with a certain defensiveness. Hippies with their guard up and more likely to devote their time and attention to the group with whom they came to the show, and less likely to let the guard down and test the waters with new folk. And admittedly, I have found myself exhibiting the same behavior. What makes hip folk suddenly abandon the free-spirited ideal? What prevents the hippie family from forming?

I pose a host of seemingly difficult questions for which there might not be a concise answer. I am finding that the questions are best explored through sharing of individual experiences. Communication is the key to understanding. Gay, hip youth often don't communicate with each other. I am unsure of the reasoning behind this. We long to resonate with our brothers and sisters, yet either do not find them, or do not connect for various social reasons.

If, indeed, this is a vital forum for our connection, family-building, and understanding of self and our "culture," as it were, then I feel that people will find us. We can use this forum as a focal point into which we can channel our spiritual energies, create a "beacon" as it were, to let our hip brothers and sisters the world over know they have a haven in which love and joy flow without bounds.

If you are aware of any similar resources, please let us know. Our aim is to connect with hip queer youth everywhere, and cross-purposes may exist. Synergy is beautiful. Connection and resonance are beautiful.

While meetings in the physical form are most powerful (gatherings, conferences, group ritual, drum circles, etc.), the objective at this stage is to initiate meetings in cyberspace. There are three ways to accomplish this:

1. E-mail list. The old standby; still a great way for such a small forum to jump in and communicate. The list name and method of subscription will need to be publicized so that our brothers and sisters can find us here.
2. Web. There is a need to expand this Web page; ideas are flowing. If you have ideas to put into the flow, contact . This is also a valuable space in which to make folks aware of the e-mail list.
3. IRC. This open chat forum allows us to communicate in "real-time" and facilitate a more "loose" discussion than what occurs on the e-mail list.

"HipFaerie" may be a tentative name for this project. I fear some folks might have a problem with the word "faerie," and even associate negative connotations more at "fairy." Its derivative is the Radical Faeries, whose ideals were roaming in my head when first writing this piece/expose/treatise :)

Thank you for your time and the bandwidth to share this new and exciting exploration.

Shaggy