Harry's search for gay community burned even stronger after his break with the Mattachine Society. For the next ten years, he threw himself into research always asking his three questions: "Who are we?" "Where do we come from?" and "Why are we here?" In his readings, he uncovered brief passages that began to suggest an answer.
"Berdache was something particular about the magical person. He lived together with other Berdache. They seemed to be what we call sissy men." Harry recalls. "And I suddenly thought, 'that's me, that's me, that's me.'"
The Berdache, or two spirit people, were honored members of many North Americantribes. Combining male and female traits, they performed sacred ceremonies and passed on arts traditions. Harry's discovery of the Berdache radically confirmed his view of gay people's role in the world.
In 1979 Harry's beliefs and activism coalesced into a new movement: the Radical Faeries. The Radical Faeries were Harry's response to a gay liberation movement he believed had lost its spark. Organized around seasonal wilderness gatherings, the Faeries sought to balance political work with spiritual renewal.
