Love Always Won Out

by Susan Howe

Don Slater:
a gay rights pioneer remembered by his friends

©1997 by Homosexual Information Center, Inc.

Jim Schneider, Chairman

p. 28

Second Printing, revised
Assembled, edited, and composed by Joseph Hansen
Laguna Beach, CA

Sappho wrote, “A handsome man is always handsome. A good man becomes beautiful.” This is what I feel about Don. His spirit is indomitable. I long ago took a page from his attitude to life: when I would ask him. “How are you? he would always reply, “I am excellent.” And so do I, to this day.

I met Don in 1970, when [ had finally accepted myself as a

lesbian. and wanted to find homosexual contacts in the community. The only listing in the L.A. phone book under “homosexual” was the Homosexual Information Center. I called, met him, and we became friends.

Whenever I would drop in, at the office or at home, he had time to visit. It usually entailed some rant and rave on a relevant topic, so I knew I’d be stimulated to think. I met other wonderful people through Don, exciting friends, just as he was.

I loved the way he talked about his lover and lifetime partner, Tony [Reyes], their concerns and conquests. Love always won out. I miss him sorely, even though our contact was slight after I moved to the Central Coast.

©1997, 2017 by The Tangent Group. All rights reserved.
The HIC is grateful to Stephen Brzoska for his help in digitizing this text.