American Homo

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Jeffrey Escoffier explores the evolution of gay and lesbian political identity over the past four decades in this collection of influential essays. He situates the emergence of gay and lesbian communities within a broader context of recent American history, illustrating how a marginalized urban subculture transformed into a vital public community with an activist agenda and significant cultural influence. Escoffier introduces the "political economy of the closet," arguing that market forces have played a crucial role in shaping these communities, which in turn have impacted the American marketplace. He discusses the rise of a camp sensibility in popular culture, influenced by the erotic exhibitionism of drag queens, and the public reformation of safer-sex guidelines, highlighting how the gay movement has gained social authority and recognition as a thriving market. Throughout the struggle for legitimacy, gays and lesbians have navigated the tension between the homoeroticism present in American culture and episodes of homophobic backlash. Escoffier traces the lesbian and gay movement's journey through American political life, revealing how sexual minorities challenge societal norms while being integrated as citizens. From McCarthy-era witch hunts to the activism of Queer Nation, he vividly captures the complex American homosexual experience within the political landscape of authenticity, identity, and community.