Homocons: The Rise of the Gay RightFor most of its history, the American gay movement has been part of the democratic Left. Gay liberation's founders were Communists, and its activist core is still overwhelmingly progressive. But in recent years, a more affluent group of gay men has begun to make its mark. Though they are a minority in the queer community (which includes people of all races, classes and genders), conservatives have become the loudest gay voices in the mainstream media. With their withering contempt for feminism and radical politics, these 'gayocons' are changing the movement's public image. Unless their rise is met by a persuasive critique, they may also alter its heart and soul. Homocons offers such a critique. It describes how the gay Right agenda differs from the one the queer community has long embraced. Never abandoning its analysis of the complex relationship between homosexuals and liberal society, the book examines the conflict between liberationists and assimilationists that has raged since the Stonewall era, and explores how political success tipped the balance and facilitated the rise of the gay Right. Finally this book offers an alternative to gay conservatism grounded in queer humanism, a distinct sensibility that has been a major force in progressive thought for more than a century. |
Contents
The Liberal Embrace | 1 |
The Homosexual Gentleman | 30 |
Virtually Macho | 58 |
Fighting the Gay Right | 84 |
Afterword | 109 |
Common terms and phrases
agenda American Andrew Sullivan anti-bias assimilation attack queers attack-queer backlash Baldwin bars boys Bruce Bawer Bush butch called Camille Paglia closet conservative create crucial culture wars Democrat describe difference drag queens dyke elite embrace Eminem fact fear feel feminism feminist femme fight gay and lesbian gay clone gay community gay liberation gay movement gay politics gay right gay strivers gender Goffman heterosexual hierarchy homo homocons homophobia homosexual gentleman homosexuals identify issue Jews lesbian lesbians and gay less liberal society live macho mainstream major male masculinity ment middle-class never Norah Vincent norm normalcy oppressed pariah group party parvenu play porn post-gay prestige progressive queer community queer humanism queer left queer theory radicals Republican response same-sex marriage sense sexual sissies social sodomy laws status stigma Stonewall testosterone there's thing tion trannies upwardly mobile Village Voice Vincent virtually normal woman women writer York
References to this book
The World We Have Won: The Remaking of Erotic and Intimate Life Jeffrey Weeks No preview available - 2007 |