Scandal: Infamous Gay Controversies of the Twentieth Century

Description

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,... Read more

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. Read less

Foreword
Acknowledgments
Introduction
Chapter 1. A Trial for Treason: Roger Casement and the Black Diaries
The Congo
The Amazon and the Putumayo
The Black Diaries
The Campaign for Irish Independence
Treason and Trial
Aftermath: The Forgery Scandal
Moral, Social, and Political Dynamics
Chapter 2. A Question of Conspiracy: The Murder of Pier Paolo Pasolini
Pier Paolo Pasolini
Murder in Ostia
Chapter 3. An Accusation of Obscenity: Radclyffe Hall and The Well of Loneliness
Portrait of the Artist
The Well of Loneliness
The British Trials
The American Trial
Social and Political Impact of the Obscenity Trials
Chapter 4. A Case of Espionage: Guy Burgess, Donald Maclean, and the “Ring of Five”
The Cambridge Years
Exposure and Escape
Impact on the Gay and Lesbian Citizenry
Postscript
Chapter 5. An Arrest for Homicide: Simon Nkoli and the Delmas Treason Trial
Racism and Homophobia in South Africa
The Delmas Treason Trial
The Collapse of Apartheid
The Arrival of AIDS
Chapter 6. A Life of Dissent: Reinaldo Arenas and the Cuban Revolution
The Batista Era
Reinaldo Arenas
The Castro Era
Prosecution and Persecution
Trial and Error
Storm in the States
Chapter 7. A Charge of Libel: Kaiser Wilhelm II and the Eulenburg Affair
The Kaiser's Gay Entourage
The Trials
Impact of the Scandal on Germany
Notes
Bibliography
Index

Author(s)

Biography

Vargo, Marc E

Scandal Infamous Gay Controversies of the Twentieth Century

Description

Table of Contents

Author(s)

Biography

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