OK, Invisibleman... Calm down... I think we are on the same page here.
But, there was much believability in the story, this was still the Wild West, even though it was in the 60's and 70's, and a lot went on behind the scenes in the lonely "culture" of Cowboys, shepherds and Rodeos, even in those times, in that vast territory of America. It still does. Believe me!
Take note... you might remember, that one of the most heart wrenching scenes of the film, towards the end, was when Jack, who truly knew he loved Ennis and sex with men, revealed to him that he HAD stopped waiting for him and sought pleasure elsewhere... (In replays, with another married man and road trips to seek male hookers in Mexico.)... That ended with their fight on the beach at the lake and then never to see each other again. Later, Jack was most likely murdered for going after one of his own closeted kind in his homophobic home town... and covered up, even by his own wife.
Invisibleman, really... your assumption that a woman writer could not produce an authentic story about homosexual men is ludicrous. As only one example, I will suggest that you read the magnificent series about the life of Alexander the Great, beginning with:
[SIZE=-1]"The Persian Boy" a 1972 historical novel by Mary Renault.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=-1]It's amazing![/SIZE]
Onan