Elements of Sexuality: 20th Century Images of Gay Men

This video offers snapshots of three sexual regimes in US history pertaining to male-male intimacy and gay identity. The first two clips show a stereotype of men who have sex with other men as "pansies" and "fairies," but it's not necessarily a demeaning one. The crowd is laughing with them as much as they're laughing at them. The fairies' performance receives giant applause from the hip Greenwich Village crowd. Jay (Tony Jowitt) and Nasa (the irrepressible Clara Bow) enter the night club because they're fascinated by the edgy scene, not because they hate gays (in fact, "gay" is not a commonly used term to describe men who have sex with other men at this point in history). As George Chauncey explains in Gay New York (1994), the public fascination with "gay" men (the so-called "pansy craze") turned to hostility during the 1930s. The second clip represents the solidification of anti-gay hostility after World War II, including the medicalization of same-sex desire, the conflation of pederasty and homosexuality, and other closet-constructing public opinions. The final clip represents the post-Stonewall celebration of gay pride. Chauncey's research suggests that the first and last clips have more in common despite their historical distance. The history of gay liberation in the US is not a linear one, and this history shows that fascination and public acceptance can turn to intolerance and hostility if we're not careful.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• sociology
• sexuality
• chauncey
• history
• glbt
• gaymen
• queer
• homophobia

[codyki]

Jimmy's police station looks an awful lot like the one in 'Far from Heaven'. Coincidence? I think not!

[ElementsofSoc]

I'll look at that again. I thought the glimpse of gay subculture featured in Far From Heaven was the most fascinating part of the movie -- I could've watched an entire movie just following that plot thread.

thanks for watching & commenting!

Brian

[MommaLinder]

Its amazing how people are still as stupid as that video from the 60's!!

It was taught that gay people "DEMAND" a same sex relationship? OMG thats like saying Gays only RAPE! ...

ANd why did Jimmy get probation? for being molested?

Homosexuals dont have to prey on children!!

Pedophiles are the real sickos! worse than chicken pox! or whatever that stupid Movie claimed ...

Gay people should have the right to marriage!

[ElementsofSoc]

"ANd why did Jimmy get probation? for being molested?"

This is an important question. If Jimmy doesn't have the legal capacity for consent why is he being punished? Does Jimmy have sexual agency or doesn't he? I really want to go back in time and have the narrator explain it to me.

[aktion13f14]

you did an amazing job on this.. way to find these clips and check out that perspective throughout the progress of the motion picture industry.. pretty great!

[ElementsofSoc]

Thank you! I appreciate the compliment. Thanks for watching. Best Wishes, Brian

[korisx]

Some people still confuse homosexuality with Peodophillia how sad...

[foucault1020]

Thank you for extreme talent in making this- & the comments. It's appreciated.

[312cccwww]

It's amazing how offensive and narrow minded people were and still are. Society got pedophiles confused with gays. Thats disgusting. Why did the victimized child get convicted? He was raped.

[gayguy666999]

Homophobia took its root from many centuries ago by many bigots and xenophobes that hate to change their limited view of the world. Yes we were taught in school and in the media that we have mental disorders. We refused to be casted as sick people. I started refusing during my high school years and started to embrace the idea that homosexuality is a normal human trait that only some lucky people have. We are men, not something else, full free and peacful men seeking love above all else.

[vito1964]

@trollworth

That's ok, most gay men find the thought of eating snatch disgusting. I, will, however, defend your right to do so. This is America, dammit!

[vito1964]

Thank you so much for these clips. I tend to focus on what is happening now with gay marriage and DODT. However, if you don't know history, you are doomed to repeat it. I find the thought of a "gay craze" in the 1920's to be fascinating.

[trollworth]

Nuanced analyses aside, you are all massive fags. Disgusting.

[neelantra]

@shmuli9 Not British - Australia.

[shmuli9]

@neelantra Actually, no... What you said wasn't grammatically incorrect at all, just amusingly British, in the same way that "lift" is, or in the way that 'you guys' or 'elevator' is in North America...

[sfcalvinaz]

We've come a long way baybeh ....but we still have far to go!