Reviews tagging 'Sexism'

The Deviant's War: The Homosexual vs. the United States of America by Eric Cervini

6 reviews

ezplonk's review

emotional hopeful informative reflective slow-paced

4.25

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Homophobia, Misogyny, Sexism, Transphobia, and Violence

Minor: Suicide

flyingryndeer's review against another edition

emotional informative inspiring reflective slow-paced

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia and Sexism

Moderate: Racism

Minor: Racial slurs

amsswim's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative reflective sad slow-paced

4.25

I only knew a bit of LGBTQ+ history before reading this, so my goal was to have a greater understanding of it all. This book focuses on the legal and moral battles in the US from around the 1940s and on, specifically following Frank Kameny. 

I didn't realize this book was focused on Kameny before picking it up, which threw me off. He was at the front of many of the legal battles and stood alongside/lead many other moral battles and resistance movements, so the focus made sense. That being said I still found myself confused the lack of inclusion of the lesbian movement as well as the civil rights movements of this time. There was a certain point 1/3 of the way in where I nearly left the book behind, but then it became very self reflective and understanding of the initial and continued failings of being intersectional within the gay movement. After the 4th-wall type break, I was much more interested. The general exclusion of race and gender reflected the white men in the movement being exclusive much of the time as well.

Glad I finished this one, but it makes me want a different view of other events. The arc of this book very much reflected Kameny's view on himself as well as the progress of the gay movement, which provides an interesting perspective. If you're into US History and Politics as well as have an interest in this topic I'd recommend this one.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Hate crime, Homophobia, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual content, Transphobia, Police brutality, Religious bigotry, Lesbophobia, Outing, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Death, Racial slurs, Racism, Suicide, Violence, Forced institutionalization, and Suicide attempt

stevia333k's review against another edition

dark emotional informative sad

4.0

I read this book because someone on Tumblr was connecting this book to being against policing clothes at pride. Personally, this book was more of a biography than I was expecting & it focused too much on the assimilationist politics.

The way this book needs to be read therefore is you go thru the book and highlight/copy down parts said during speeches in order to use this book as a way to get theory about rhetoric used in arguments etc. Unfortunately for me I used an audiobook & I only gathered that strategy idea beyond the 70% mark. It's 15h 34m. Even at triple speed which is *way* longer than I can type at with my current technology setup, it'd still be 5h 11m.


Like i recognized myself in the complaint process, but like I also associate the complaint process with "graveyard" by halsey so, yeah... The book is like the vibes of following that tribute dude who killed the hybrid-species dude in the labyrinth. Point being, using this book for rhetoric analysis will probably help with forming your own complaints too etc, and know which arguments you can reason have already been made.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Biphobia, Death, Genocide, Homophobia, Racism, Sexism, Transphobia, Police brutality, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Lesbophobia, Outing, Sexual harassment, and Colonisation

Moderate: Xenophobia, Antisemitism, Medical content, Medical trauma, Alcohol, and War

Minor: Drug use

urfavpunk's review

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring mysterious reflective relaxing sad tense medium-paced

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Police brutality, and Outing

Moderate: Racism, Sexism, and Lesbophobia

Minor: Transphobia, Murder, and War

archcon's review

informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

5.0

For those interested in the fight for LGBTQ+ rights, this is a must read to understanding the pre-cursor of the modern gay rights movement in the United States. Cervini deftly explores the struggles and achievements of Frank Kameny, considered the founder of the homophile movement, and how that movement changed course, sometimes at Kameny's direction, but just as often without him. The evolution from trying to secure equal rights by fitting in to securing equal rights based upon radical self acceptance mirrors the Black Freedom Movement and cannot fully be understood without this book.

Very accessibly written. There's a lot of information, but the writing style is clear, concise, and wonderfully smooth. Looking forward to more from Cervini! (He's on TikTok if anyone wants to hear more LGBTQ+ history!)

To those interested in the anti-gay maneuverings in 1950s Washington DC, absolutely follow this up with The Lavender Scare by David Johnson. It will provide a lot of context for some of the opening scene, Lafayette Park, and Kameny's first experiences in the city.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Homophobia, Mental illness, Sexism, Transphobia, and Outing

Minor: Biphobia, Sexual content, Police brutality, and Lesbophobia