KNOWhomo

LGBTQ* Nonfiction Books You Have Asked About

Over the last year, many people have asked about the literature on my bookshelves behind me in select vlogs. I usually respond one-on-one but as emails continue to circulate, I decided to share the titles with you.

The picture above and information below are nonfiction texts from a section of my Queer* bookcase. In the future I will post fiction, theory and graphic novels (which take up other shelves).

Keep On, Keeping On

-Rebecca (moderator of KNOWhomo)

Left to Right:

Summers, Claude J. The QUEER Encyclopedia of Music, Dance & Musical Theatre. San Francisco, CA.: Cleis, 2004.

McGarry, Molly, and Fred Wasserman. Becoming Visible: An Illustrated History of Lesbian and Gay Life in Twentieth-century America. New York: Penguin Studio, 1998.

Trachtenberg, Robert, and Tom Bachtell. When I Knew. New York, NY: Regan, 2005

Boswell, John. Christianity, Social Tolerance, and Homosexuality: Gay People in Western Europe from the Beginning of the Christian Era to the Fourteenth Century. Chicago: University of Chicago, 1980.

Shilts, Randy. Conduct Unbecoming: Lesbians and Gays in the U.S. Military : Vietnam to the Persian Gulf. New York: St. Martin’s, 1993.

Witt, Lynn, Sherry Thomas, and Eric Marcus. Out in All Directions: The Almanac of Gay and Lesbian America. New York: Warner, 1995.

Russo, Vito. The Celluloid Closet: Homosexuality in the Movies. Revised Edition New York: Quality Paperback Book Club, 1995.

Vidal, Gore, and Donald Weise. Sexually Speaking: Collected Sex Writings. San Francisco, CA: Cleis, 2001.

Bernstein, Robin. Cast Out: Queer Lives in Theater. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan, 2006.

Smith, Patricia Juliana. The Queer Sixties. New York: Routledge, 1999. 

Ayres, Ian, and Jennifer Gerarda Brown. Straightforward: How to Mobilize Heterosexual Support for Gay Rights. Princeton, NJ: Princeton UP, 2005.

Bronski, Michael. A Queer History of the United States. Boston: Beacon, 2011.

Fischer, Erica. Aimée & Jaguar: A Love Story, Berlin 1943. Los Angeles, CA: Alyson, 1998.

Etheridge, Melissa, and Laura Morton. The Truth Is— : My Life in Love and Music. New York: Villard, 2001.

Heger, Heinz. The Men with the Pink Triangle. Boston, MA: Alyson Publications, 1980. 

Gray, Mary L. Out in the Country: Youth, Media, and Queer Visibility in Rural America. New York: New York UP, 2009.

Kennedy, Pagan. The First Man-made Man: The Story of Two Sex Changes, One Love Affair, and a Twentieth-century Medical Revolution. New York, NY: Bloomsbury, 2007.

Reuter, Donald F. Gay 2 Zee: The Visualised Guide to Gay Words, Slang, Phrases, People, Places and Things. New York: Griffin, 2006.

Jennings, Kevin. One Teacher in 10: LGBT Educators Share Their Stories. Los Angeles: Alyson, 2005.

Vincent, Norah. Self-made Man: One Woman’s Year Disguised as a Man. New York: Penguin, 2006.

Richards, Dell. Lesbian Lists: A Look at Lesbian Culture, History, and Personalities. Boston: Alyson Publications, 1990. 

Solomon, Alisa, and Framji Minwalla. The Queerest Art: Essays on Lesbian and Gay Theater. New York: New York UP, 2002.

DeGeneres, Betty. Love, Ellen: A Mother/daughter Journey. New York: Rob Weisbach, 1999.

Doty, Alexander. Making Things Perfectly Queer: Interpreting Mass Culture. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota, 1993.

Marcus, Eric, and Eric Marcus. Making Gay History: The Half-century Fight for Lesbian and Gay Equal Rights. New York: Perennial, 2002.

Faderman, Lillian, and Brigitte Eriksson. Lesbians in Germany: 1890’s-1920’s. Tallahassee, FL: Naiad, 1990.

Bornstein, Kate. Hello, Cruel World: 101 Alternatives to Suicide for Teens, Freaks, and Other Outlaws. New York: Seven Stories, 2006. 

LGBQ* News and Photographs You Might Have Missed

First Time Active Duty Soldiers March in a Pride Parade

in Full Uniform with Government’s Approval

(Following from LA Times)

Kannon Cole, 7, watches his mother Marine Sgt. Bris Holland carry the flag at the beginning of San Diego’s annual LGBT Pride parade. Holding his hand is her partner, Jaxs Jacquez.

(Photograph by: Don Bartletti, Los Angeles Times / July 21, 2012)

LGBTQ* Political Cartoons

Homecoming Kiss

This Memorial Day, take pause to remember all those who have joined, been drafted, and volunteered for the armed forces. No matter where you stand on the war, military placement in society and government, please take a moment to reflect on those who have served. 

LGBTQ* Military Iconic Photographs

Proud Soldier’s Homecoming

LBGTQ*Political Cartoons

United. Stronger And Prouder Than Ever Before.

LGBTQ* History You Should Know

(And Probably Never Heard Of)

Before Asking - Fighting Against the Tells

Seven years before Stonewall, thirty years prior to Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell -

Activists Craig Rodwell and Randy Wicker, along with a small group of others, picketed New York City’s draft board offices in 1962. The political demonstration was done to highlight the unfair persecution of gay and lesbian soldiers in the United States Military and dishonorable discharges being issued to veterans. The protesters also called out the unjust policy of releasing draft-age men’s information of their sexual orientation to employers.

LGBTQ* Quick Queer History

Homosexuality in the American Military FYI Moment

(Note: Since so many politicians are throwing around Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell and (INCORRECT) phrases about how homosexuality has been banned from the ranks since the beginning of the USA’s military forces, here’s a bit of information to explain its true history. —Rebecca)

Prior to WORLD WAR II there was no formal method/practice of excluding homosexuals from the armed forces in the United States of America. Acts of sodomy were punishable as a criminal act and soldiers could face court-martial or expulsion from the service. 

During WWII, the American Selective Service System began to hire and rely on psychiatrists more heavily during routine recruitment screenings. It was during this time that “homosexuality” was noted as unfit for duty and service within the armed forces. During initial screenings, psychiatrists would ask male recruits if “they liked girls” and questions about their last relationships all the while watching for “effeminate looks or behavior.” Psychiatrists would also drop “code phrases” and “gay slang” and document if the soldier reacted or knew the meaning/understood the phrase.

 When need for troops in WWII grew to a desperate level, the government told psychiatrists to let everyone through. The government would go on to say that the entire screening process was ineffective and very costly to the military budget. It is believed that for every ONE person banned from joining the service, ten gay men would enter following evaluations.

Following WWII, men who were discharged where given a Blue Slip/Blue Discharge, named because of the paper color they were printed on. These Blue Slips DISHONORABLY discharged men and were a permanent marker of homosexual charges. The names of these men were supplied to employers by the military, making it nearly impossible for some to find work after being released.

This policy remained in effect until Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.

for more information read: Conduct Unbecoming by Randy Shilts or A Queer History of the United States

LGBTQ* Political Cartoons

Trading a Yellow Ribbon for a Ring

LGBTQ* Graphs, Charts and Data

Religion and Support Of LGBTQ* Issues 

(focusing in text on gay/lesbian issues within the polls)

By now we have all seen Gov. Rick Perry’s “Strong” video which implies that as a Christian, gays and lesbians are not equal in representation and consideration within the United States. But how do Christians feel? More so, how do most religions feel about same-sex marriage and gays and lesbians in the military?

The above graph is supplied by THE PEW FORUM which over the last few years has continued to poll and graph religious views and voting practices on many issues including same-sex/gay marriage, education, government, bioethics and politics. 

The above graph indicates a growing support for those who identify with a religious affiliation and their support for LGBTQ* rights and equality. Those numbers also grew among religious groups before the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell when polled about their support of lesbians and gays in the military.

The graph below highlights the levels of education completed in relation to religious identification. It is interesting to note that the higher one’s education/the deeper one’s pursuit of  knowledge reflects a higher acceptance and support for LGBTQ* issues.