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hocuscrocus's review against another edition
2.0
The introduction of the book lays out a strong, clear thesis, but it doesn't take long for it to be forgotten completely. (Quick side note: if the focus of the book is supposed to be societal impacts of and on "bad" gay men, what is Margaret Mead doing in there?! I enjoyed reading about her, but what?!)
In this book, people with shitty opinions are put on par with literal Nazis. Some misdeeds are presented neutrally while others are presented with clear condemnation from the author(s). Each and every chapter goes on tangents that drag so long that it's hard to remember who the subject was in the first place. It was rough.
On the positive, you can feel the love and care that went into compiling information for this book. The anecdotes and scene-setting were very thoroughly researched. I'm definitely going to look further into a lot of the people and events referenced throughout. This book also has a very handy reading list at the end!
In short, the poor execution of this book unfortunately overtakes what is a very compelling concept.
Moderate: Homophobia, Pedophilia, and Violence
ashareadsbooks's review against another edition
3.75
Graphic: Homophobia, Racism, and Suicide
Moderate: Misogyny, Torture, Violence, Antisemitism, Islamophobia, and Injury/Injury detail
mermaidsherbet's review against another edition
3.0
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Homophobia, Pedophilia, Racism, Transphobia, Violence, Antisemitism, Colonisation, and Classism
Minor: Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Pregnancy, Toxic friendship, and War
anxiousnachos's review against another edition
4.0
I also very much appreciated the emphasis and exploration of how our understanding and the concept of homosexuality and queerness has adapted and changed over the years, but how it can still be linked back to the understandings of the Greeks and Romans, the Weimar Republic, the colonial anthropologists et al. It was so interesting to see our current understanding of queerness directly linked back to these individuals and periods.
Most importantly, I thought it excellent the way the authors chose to directly address the historic suffering caused by white (usually male) queers against more marginalised queer people in society. I won’t lie, I find it a bit odd so many reviews have complained about the lack of diversity in the 14 chosen individuals to discuss when the entire thesis of the book is basically to examine and critique the white male model of homosexuality. And I think they do this very well - from the AIDS crisis to racist anthropology to the Congo to far right politics, the authors raise again and again the awful harm white queerness has caused, and it’s legacy continues to cause, across the world.
I thought this was a fascinating read, it showed such a different side to queer culture and a side that I think it is vitally important we remember now as we draw ever closer to fascism.
Content warnings: pedastry, racism, homophobia and homophobic violence, conversion therapy, colonisation, slavery, fascism, anti-semitism, Nazism, Islamophobia, sex
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Homophobia, Racism, Sexual content, Slavery, Violence, Antisemitism, Islamophobia, Cultural appropriation, and Colonisation
ivan_tw's review against another edition
3.75
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Homophobia, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Violence, and War