In 1962, the Mansfield (Ohio) Police Department stationed officers armed with a movie camera behind a two-way mirror in a public restroom known for its "cruisy" atmosphere. With the help of the footage shot, dozens of men were arrested, prosecuted, and convicted on
sodomy charges, which at the time carried mandatory minimum sentences of a year in prison. In 2007, the original surveillance footage was obtained by filmmaker
William E.
Jones. He's screened the unedited 56 minute film as
Tearoom at festivals and museums the world over, providing a clandestine look at the scrutiny small-town Midwestern gay men faced in the 1960's. [
warning:
explicit,
NSFW material lies beyond most links]
[more inside]
posted by item
on Feb 9, 2012 -
82 comments
In April of 2007, College Humor conducted
an informal poll of their readership's
(ahem) wiping habits. This month, Drew Magary re-examines the results of that "study" for Deadspin, and comes to
the same shocking conclusions.
(Note: These links contain bathroom-related discussions that those with more delicate sensibilities probably won't enjoy.) [more inside]
posted by juliplease
on Dec 16, 2009 -
316 comments
