Overview

For most of its history, the American gay movement has been part of the democratic Left. Gay liberation's founders were Communists, and its activist core is still overwhelmingly progressive. But in recent years, a more affluent group of gay men has begun to make its mark. Though they are a minority in the queer community (which includes people of all races, classes and genders), conservatives have become the loudest gay voices in the mainstream media. With their withering contempt for feminism and radical politics, these 'gayocons' are changing the movement's public image. Unless their rise is met by a persuasive critique, they may also alter its heart and soul. Homocons offers such a critique. It describes how the gay Right agenda differs from the one the queer community has long embraced. Never abandoning its analysis of the complex relationship between homosexuals and liberal society, the book examines the conflict between liberationists and assimilationists that has raged since the Stonewall era, and explores how political success tipped the balance and facilitated the rise of the gay Right. Finally this book offers an alternative to gay conservatism grounded in queer humanism, a distinct sensibility that has been a major force in progressive thought for more than a century.

Full Product Details

9781859844144

Table of Contents

Reviews

The most gifted gay journalist in the country. - Harper's Magazine [Goldstein] has packed a great deal of sound argument, sharp wit, and heartfelt idealism into a concise, very readable book. - Los Angeles Times [Homocons] is a brilliant and much-needed call for a revival of radical queer humanism... -- Gay Times ... brilliant - and brilliantly written - polemic against the rising tide of heartless gay conservatism and its liberal straight allies. ... a much-needed call to arms for progressives of all stripes to rally before it's too late. - Martin Duberman, author of Stonewall Besides its sheer cogency, the most notable thing about [Homocons] is, surprisingly, the generous patience with which it anatomizes the gay right. Far beyond the hackneyed invocation of internalized homophobia, Goldstein embarks on an incisive navigation of the historical, racial, and psychological dynamics between queers and mainstream American political discourse. -- Eve Kosofsky Sedgwick, author of Epistemology of the Closet Whether you think you will agree with the main argument or not, you will learn from this book. Richard Goldstein writes with shrewd insight, wide sympathies, and enviable clarity. No one has a more persuasive assessment of the urgencies of the present and the legacies of the past for queer people. I wish everyone I know ... gay, straight, or whatever ... would read it. -- Michael Warner, author of The Trouble with Normal

Author Information

Richard Goldstein is an executive editor of The Village Voice and the author of several books including The Poetry of Rock, Goldstein's Greatest Hits, and Reporting the Counterculture. He is the winner of the 2001 GLAAD (Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Discrimination) columnist of the year award.

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