Not in 1968
This was filmed in New York City in 1968 for showing on National TV – a year before Stonewall.
Homosexual acts could still be criminally prosecuted, as affirmed in the Governor’s signing notes of the 1965 New York State criminal statues. Homosexuality was still a recognized psychiatric disorder, which many mental health professional still thought should be “treated” with drugs. Violence towards homosexuals was culturally acceptable and widespread. Homosexuals were “others” to be treated poorly for their own good
A light-hearted way to convey the complete “other-ing” of homosexuals in that era is to watch the “elevator scene” in Mel Brook’s 1968 comic masterpiece “The Producers.” That deeply offensive, homophobic scene was considered riotously hilarious and appropriate for family entertainment.
Calling someone a “queer” in public was incredibly rhetorically aggressive. Since the charge against Vidal was true, Safire’s verbal attack would have immediately de-legitimatized Vidal as a “man” and undercut any hope Vidal had of persuasion for most of the audience. Buckley knew exactly how devastating that attack was when he made it.
Of course, such a “calling out” would have put a person of less stature than Vidal at considerable personal, legal, and medical risk. Evan Gore Vidal was not really safe – he lived in Rome for a reason.
1968 was a very different place. The music was great, but be glad you didn’t have to live there.
