Scandal: Infamous Gay Controversies of the Twentieth Century - Softcover

Vargo, Marc E.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1560234121 ISBN 13: 9781560234128

Publisher: Routledge, 2003

Synopsis

Examine the cornerstone incidents of modern gay political history!

Scandal: Infamous Gay Controversies of the Twentieth Century is a compelling and thorough examination of same-sex controversies that range from accusations of obscenity and libel to espionage, treason, murder, and political dissent, with penalties that included censorship, imprisonment, deportation, and death. In each case, scandal brought the subject of homosexuality into public view in an explosive, sensational manner, stalling (and sometimes reversing) any progress made by the gay and lesbian community in mainstream society. Author Marc E. Vargo details the dignity, courage, and wisdom displayed by the gay men and women under attack in the face of public judgment.

A unique blend of biography and gay political history, Scandal: Infamous Gay Controversies of the Twentieth Century recounts seven international incidents that tally the cost of being homosexual in a heterosexual society. In each episode, gay men or lesbians are targeted for legal persecution, subjected to sensationalized media coverage, and publicly condemned. The book examines the short- and long-term consequences of each controversy for those involved and the impact each scandal had on gay and mainstream society.

Scandal: Infamous Gay Controversies of the Twentieth Century documents the stories of:

• Italian filmmaker Pier Paolo Pasolini--his 1975 murder and its subsequent cover-up
• British diplomats Guy Burgess and Donald Maclean--their defection to Russia at the height of the Cold War
• Cuban political dissident Reinaldo Arenas--his imprisonment in the 1960s that led to the exposure of the violent homophobia of the Castro regime
• Irish consul Roger Casement--his execution on treason charges and the later accusation that crucial evidence had been forged
• South African human rights activist Simon Nkoli--his persecution by his country's all-white, pro-apartheid government
• British writer Radclyffe Hall--the obscenity trial in the 1920s surrounding her novel, The Well of Loneliness
• German emperor Kaiser Wilhelm II--the exposé of his relationship with Prince Eulenburg

A scholarly work of historical significance, Scandal: Infamous Gay Controversies of the Twentieth Century is written in a straightforward tone that appeals to academics, students, and interested readers, gay or straight. The book stands alone as a record of the role played by public opinion in modern gay history.

About this title

About the Author:

Marc E. Vargo is the author of Acts of Disclosure: The Coming-Out Process of Contemporary Gay Men and The HIV Test: What You Need to Know to Make an Informed Decision. He has also written several articles in the areas of medical education, neuro-psychology, and death anxiety, which have appeared in such journals as Corfex, Psychological Reports, the British Journal of Medical Psychology, the Journal of the American Academy of Behavioral Medicine, and the Journal of Clinical Psychology. He is currently at work on a biography of composer Aaron Copland.

From Library Journal:

While it would be difficult, if not impossible, to describe all the gay scandals of the 20th century, Vargo here offers a solid sampling of seven. Probably the most famous is the Burgess-Maclean espionage trials in 1950s Britain, and the murder of Pier Paolo Pasolini and the obscenity trials of Radclyffe Hall should also be well known to American readers. The story of Cuban poet Reinaldo Arenas, made famous by the recent movie When Night Falls, is also included. Vargo places each episode in context, describing its broader historical or political implications and showing how it demonstrates the consequences of misguided prejudice. Vargo's accounts, while not examples of in-depth investigative journalism, are highly readable and will be informative for people wanting to learn about some all-too-often neglected stories. Considered together, they also serve as a barometer of the changing place of gay men and lesbians in the last century. For larger public and academic libraries with extensive gay and lesbian collections.
David S. Azzolina, Univ. of Pennsylvania Libs., Philadelphia
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About this edition

• Publisher: Routledge
• Publication date: 2003
• ISBN 10: 1560234121
• ISBN 13: 9781560234128
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 210