The issue we need to talk about

I tend to say the past is a different country, it's not a unique to me thing but this blog although starting in 2008 really goes back to a long time back when things were different and that is something that was reflected in our comics. 

Every week I had, most of us had The Beano and we loved it but from September 1974 Dennis The Menace became the main cartoon strip and as such as on the front cover .

One continuing backstory was the antagonism and permanent battle between Dennis and his gang of Menace Outlaws and Walter, pictured in blue and his "softies" who were portrayed not as I and a number of were sensitive and gentle minded but bordering on the effeminate, more feminine than the girls we knew as nine an ten year olds. 

You can argue about which came first but it did influence how feminine boys like me were treated even though we were not so over the top (and possibly aimed at "camp" gay boys and men) by other boys.

We could not openly talk about some of our interests without derision and even being set on by other boys.

I am sure it wasn't intentional on the part of the comic artists and owners but it had affected us even though we were not so "soft" as Walter and his friends were.

We WERE deemed boys then even though in truth we ARE sissies and no one deserved what happened to us.  

We can and as it comes from right inside of us why shouldn't we?