While some of the jokes and cartoons selected for Gay Tales may be considered somewhat vulgar by some, they are a reflection of how members of the gay community see themselves and are seen by others. It is important that any member of any community should be able to laugh at him or herself and that the community as a whole should be able to roll with the punches directed at it by people that cannot or will not understand that we are all different. It is far better to accept the differences between people than to promote them and to avoid driving wedges between one section of a community and another. All of the jokes and cartoons in this collection have been selected, first and foremost, for their funniness and not for their vulgarity. Many reflect the bitter-sweetness of belonging to a group of people who for many years were "confined to the closet" and the animosity sometimes displayed towards them by a society that simply didn't and often still doesn't understand. I hope that readers of this book, regardless of their personal views will enjoy it for what it really is; a laugh with the gay community and not at it. Chris Bruce. Bangkok (no pun intended), 2004.