Bill Young
NAME: Bill Young
Biography: I attended college and grad school in and around Philadelphia and then moved to New York City a few months after graduating. That was in 1978. But though my time there was short, and my time in the gay community even shorter, and although I've forgotten SO much, it was a crucially important period in my life and the few memories I have left are fond and powerful. It is after all the site of my coming out. I was delighted to read of Chris Bartlett's work in the New York Times today (12/13/09) and rushed to this website. I'd known James Ricciardelli had died of AIDS, but I learned of the deaths of two other men who have special places in my heart, two sweet, sweet men: Paul Proveaux and John Necci.
I knew Jim (I knew him as Jim, not Jamie, although that nickname is in the obituary) because we both worked at the Annenberg Center. I remember him in short, short denim cut-offs, a flannel shirt, and work boots. I have a long, involved story about Paul that I won't tell, but although I knew him only slightly, he had a major impact on my life. I will tell you that I was a super in "The Magic Flute" in which he was Pagageno while he was studying at Curtis. John I knew from after moving to NYC where he were both members of the Knights Wrestling Club. We went to the Vancouver Gay Games in 1990, where John won a gold medal.
I was delighted to see Nick Ifft's name on this site among the living. He was a very important part of my social circle in 1977, a circle that revolved around the Steps bar. That was the time when I was there every night but one (I deliberately took one night off). The community and camaraderie there were exceptional, although Nick and I always found it a bit bizarre that we would be discussing Proust in the midst of this gay Wonderland.
As I write this, I wonder about all the people whose names I recall dimly, but whose personages I recall vividly. Thank you Chris Bartlett for providing this invaluable resource.
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Date of Birth: September 5, 1953
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Bars/Clubs he attends/attended: Steps
His friends include: Nick Ifft, James Ricciardelli, Paul Proveaux, John Necci
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