problem with the word. If you’re going to say something critical
about promiscuity… everyone has a problem with the word. It is a
vague word. It means different things to different people. Usually
when I talk about it in terms of that era, I say promiscuity. That’s
precisely what we were celebrating. I remember walking down
Christopher Street and buying a t-shirt with a pig emblazoned
on it. And greeting cards with a pig emblazoned on it. It was our
mascot. It was everywhere. It’s funny how people forget what they
want to forget. But, it was definitely the era of the sex pig.
Rage: For you, meeting Dr. Sonnaband was just the luck of the draw.
RB: The first time we met it somehow was the luck of the draw.
But, I hadn’t seen him for a while. Once I started hustling in New
York City, I had become friendly with another hustler who called
Gay March
me up after we had done a three-way together. He said, “Hey. One
of my clients called me up and told me I might have been exposed
to syphilis. I think the best thing for us to do as we’re in the business
is to pick you up in a cab and take you to the most fabulous doctor
in New York City… Dr. Sonnaband. I said, “Oh my God. I know him.”
I think it was actually inevitable that I ended up with Sonnaband.
The kind of people who went to him were kind of politically
progressive. They didn’t judge things on appearances. You know,
the furniture design in the waiting area (laughs). He was a little ec-
centric. He was more scientist than a doctor. When gay men ended
up wedded to one clap doctor before AIDS, there were reasons
why they stuck with them. They had a similar worldview. They liked
the way they were treated. I remember the first time I went to his
office, he said, “Do you have health insurance?” I said, “No.” He said,
“Pay whatever you can,” and he just walked out the door. He was
so non-judgmental and he made you feel so comfortable about
whatever sexually related issue you had to deal with.
Rage: It really is a powerful “learn something, people” documentary.
Dr. Joe Sonnaband on the cover of POZ
RB: It’s gotten great responses. I’ve been to about 15 film festi-
vals all around the country and in Canada. There are people who
don’t want to hear about AIDS and are tired of hearing about AIDS,
I think a lot of what is written and produced about AIDS, a lot of
it is pretty tedious. It was really erotic and fascinating in the late
1980s. I think as funding for AIDS and AIDS education has gone
more mainstream that safe sex became more about “one size fits
all”… don’t get too graphic, don’t be too controversial, don’t be too
erotic, it’s gotten boring. I think people have tuned it out. It also can
be a depressing issue to listen to.
But, I think what the movie does is get back to the basic issues
of celebrating sex and celebrating anal sex and celebrating sexual
autonomy. I think people are thrilled. The first reaction is people
are shocked that they didn’t know where safe sex came from. Then,
when you think you understand something… then you see in a
75-minute film, that you didn’t understand it at all. It’s gotten great
responses especially from young people who have come to the
screenings.
Rage: You are an amazing man. I wish the film much continued success.
Michael Caller
RB: Thanks Bill.
June 2009 | RAGE monthly 13
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