Gay and Lesbian Studies
Gay and Lesbian Studies is by nature cross-disciplinary, covering a wide range of intellectual bases: literature, history, religion, psychology, sociology, philosophy, anthropology, medicine, law, fine arts, and others. Resources in this subject area may be found in nearly every division of the Research Libraries. This guide offers multiple trajectories into this richly varied field.
Despite the presence of large numbers of homosexuals in New York City and other urban centers in the United States and throughout the world, their history has often been neglected or marginalized, a testimony to the inhibiting factors of legal restrictions on certain forms of sexual conduct, the lack of organization among gay men and lesbians, and the unwillingness of the larger society to recognize the value and merit of different forms of erotic and affectional expression.
These difficulties notwithstanding, certain individuals in late nineteenth- and early twentieth-century Western societies, such as Karl Ulrichs and Magnus Hirschfeld in Germany and Edward Carpenter and John Addington Symonds in Britain, began to conceive of themselves as belonging to a discrete group possessing a distinct identity; that this insight was revolutionary is underscored by the fact that no name existed for this body of people who shared similar sexual longings and desires. The term "uranian" was considered, but it failed to find favor and was replaced by words such as "homosexual" and "homophile," arbitrary constructions which, though workable, have been deemed too clinical in some quarters. By the late twentieth century "gay" and "lesbian" had become the recognized terms in scholarly and popular use.
Although these pioneers of the gay rights movement are lauded by civil libertarians and activists for their contribution to the political and social liberation of homosexuals, they are also significant for their concern in recognizing the importance of collecting and preserving materials relating to homosexuals and their vehicles of self-expression and identification. Yet this nascent attempt at identifying and collecting materials relating to the homosexual experience was itself inhibited and circumscribed by the need of many lesbians and gay men to lead hidden lives, fearful that self-disclosure would result in a loss of employment or legal difficulties. Of course, this very secrecy has made research strategies into the area of gay studies problematic, with scholars either attempting to intuit meanings not overtly expressed in historical records or employing materials (such as court or police reports) to identify behavior not discussed in more conventional sources.
Despite these problems The Research Libraries of The New York Public Library have managed, since their beginnings in 1911, to collect materials relating to this large, but submerged, population. Although the subject entries in the Dictionary Catalog of the Research Libraries, 1911-1971, employ terms that appear today to be abstruse or arcane, the very presence of these works, some quite rare, attests to the Library's interest in acquiring in this field. The catalog which lists the Library's acquisitions since 1972, reflects the recent expansion of scholarly and popular interest in gay and lesbian studies.
Resources in this subject area may be found in nearly every division of the Research Libraries. While the bulk of the material is available in the General Research Division, other units of the Library possess significant collections; researchers are directed to The Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, The Berg Collection of English and American Literature, The Photography Collection, the Rare Books Division, the Manuscripts and Archives Division, and The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts.
The published materials in the Research Libraries are complemented by manuscript collections reflecting the donation to the Library of various archives, the most significant being that of the International Gay Information Center, the inventory for which is available at the Information Desk in room 315. These archives include the records of organizations such as the Gay Activists Alliance and the Mattachine Society; the personal papers of Arthur Bell, Jonathan Katz, and other gay men and lesbians; gay- and lesbian-related periodicals, both domestic and foreign; ephemera such as posters, flyers, announcements, gay comic and coloring books, t-shirts, buttons and games; and audio-visual materials.
If you need further assistance, visit our reference desk, or e-mail us at generalresearch@nypl.org.
Using the Catalogs
General instructions for locating materials are given in the Research Guide, How Do I Find a Book?. The following information is specific to the topic at hand.
The Dictionary Catalog is arranged primarily by subject and author; there are title entries for works of fiction. Reflecting the usage of its time, the Dictionary Catalog provides no subject heading for Gay and few entries can be found under Lesbian or Homosexuality; the main subject entry for material dealing with male and female homosexuality is Sexual Inversion. For antiquarian material, then, it is best to approach this catalog with the most specific citation possible (the author's name is generally best), as not everything is to be found under Sexual Inversion.
Entries in the catalog may be searched by author, title, subject, or keyword. Straightforward author or title searches should pose no problem. However, in contrast to the Dictionary Catalog, the diversity of subject headings utilized by the catalog can be bewildering. Specific terms have been assigned distinct meanings; for example, entering the subject Homosexuality will not retrieve many titles on lesbianism. When a subject search is unsuccessful, retry it as a keyword; if that produces entries, review the full record for each item and note the subject headings under which it was cataloged. Then do a subject search using those terms. For example, entering Gays Military as a subject heading retrieves no records; however, utilizing these terms as keywords does result in retrieving a citation which, when displayed as a full record, yields the appropriate subject headings through which other relevant titles can be found.
For guidance in choosing the most useful subject terms for your search in the catalog, consult the Library of Congress Subject Headings volumes in Room 315. The following subject headings will generate many titles:
- Homosexuality
Gay Liberation Movement
Homosexuals
Gays
Gay Men
Lesbians
Lesbianism
The question of appropriate subject headings for this new discipline and the value of same for researchers is ably addressed by Ellen Greenblatt in her essay "Homosexuality: The Evolution of a Concept in the Library of Congress Subject Headings" in Gay and Lesbian Library Service (JFE 91-2095) which provides an excellent overview and guidelines.
Basic Reference Volumes
Allen, Jane, comp. Out on the Shelves: Lesbian Books into Libraries. Newcastle-under-Lyme, England: AAL Pub., 1989. JLD 89-1957. British in scope, lists over 200 works of literature, biography, history, psychology, etc.
Clyde, Laurel A. Out of the Closet and into the Classroom: Homosexuality in Books for Young People. Port Melbourne, Australia: ALIA Press, 1992. JFD 92-11889. Bibliography of homosexuality in English-language children's literature.
Contemporary Gay American Novelists: A Bio-Bibliographical Critical Sourcebook, edited by Emmanuel Nelson. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 1993. *RS-NBB 93-4247. A selective guide to the genre. As the title implies, lesbian authors are not covered.
Dynes, Wayne R. Homosexuality: a Research Guide. New York: Garland Pub., 1987. JLD 87-2622 and *RS-SVB 94-176. This indispensable guide to gay and lesbian literature of international scope contains 4858 citations grouped under 24 main topics and 176 subtopics; numerous languages are represented. Excludes most works of fiction, poetry, and drama. Heavily annotated. Subject and personal name indexes.
Foster, Jeannette H. Sex Variant Women in Literature. Tallahassee, FL: Naiad Press, 1985. JFD 91-8782. Pioneer bibliography, first published in 1956, now updated to 1984. Covers all western languages and analyzes poetry, drama, and fiction for lesbian references.
Gay and Lesbian Library Service, edited by Cal Gough and Ellen Greenblatt. Jefferson, NC: McFarland, 1990. JFE 91-2095. A very useful guide to researching the field.
Grier, Barbara. The Lesbian in Literature. 3rd Edition. Tallahassee, FL: Naiad Press, 1981. JFD 83-7323. 7000 titles, fiction and nonfiction, arranged alphabetically by author and coded to denote extent of lesbian interest.
Horner, Thomas Marland. Homosexuality and the Judeo-Christian Tradition: an Annotated Bibliography. Metuchen, NJ: Scarecrow Press, 1981. JLD 82-1089. Selective list of 459 English-language items excluding historical and primary sources. An appendix cites "Biblical References to Homosexuality" both definite and alleged. Subject and author indexes.
Maggiore, Dolores J. Lesbianism, an Annotated Bibliography and Guide to the Literature, 1976-1991. 2nd Edition. Metuchen, NJ: Scarecrow Press, 1992. JFD 93-7889 and *RS-SVB 93-12423. Over 500 annotated nonfiction works, grouped under five topics: individuals, minorities, families, oppression, and health. Author/title index and resource guide.
Parker, William. Homosexuality: a Selective Bibliography of Over 3000 Items. Metuchen, NJ: Scarecrow Press, 1971. JLD 74-1206 and JLD 72-1659. This and the following two supplements contain over 10,000 entries referring to sources in English (and those translated into English). Court cases, movies, television programs, etc. are also covered. Few annotations. Subject and author indexes in each volume.
Parker, William. Homosexuality Bibliography: Supplement, 1970-1975. Metuchen, NJ: Scarecrow Press, 1977. JFD 78-996. See previous annotation.
Parker, William. Homosexuality Bibliography: Second Supplement, 1976-1982. Metuchen, NJ: Scarecrow Press, 1985. JLD 86-3836. See previous annotation.
Ridinger, Robert B. Marks, comp. The Homosexual and Society: an Annotated Bibliography. New York: Greenwood Press, 1990. JLE 90-2020. Arranged within seven categories ranging from adoption to police attitudes, the citations are mainly culled from The Advocate; other sources include The Ladder, The Mattachine Review, popular and legal periodicals, and monographs. Little AIDS material is included, and coverage basically ceases at the end of 1987. Heavily annotated. Subject index.
Weinberg, Martin S., ed. Homosexuality: an Annotated Bibliography, co-edited by Alan P. Bell. New York: Harper & Row, 1972. JLE 73-99. This extensively annotated bibliography of 1265 items published in English (including translations) between 1940-1968 excludes belles-lettres, popular press, and newspapers; material from gay and lesbian publications has been generally excluded. Emphasis is on sociology, psychology, and psychiatry. Author and subject indexes.
Young, Ian. The Male Homosexual in Literature: A Bibliography. 2nd ed. Metuchen, NJ: Scarecrow Press, 1982. *RS-NABX 88-2112. An alphabetical listing by author of over 4200 English- language works (including translations). Includes fiction, drama, poetry, and autobiography published through 1980. Title index and essays on gay literature.
Directories and Indexes
Clardy, Andrea. Words to the Wise: a Writer's Guide to Feminist and Lesbian Periodicals and Publishers. 3rd Ed. Ithaca, NY: Firebrand Books, 1990. JFD 92-5606. Annotated list of presses and periodicals; resource list.
International Association of Lesbian and Gay Archives and Libraries. Directory of the International Association of Lesbian and Gay Archives and Libraries, compiled by Alan V. Miller. Toronto: Canadian Gay Archives, 1987. JFF 88-1424. Basically a proper name index; short on topical entries. Still of value but in need of updating.
Malinowsky, H. Robert, comp. International Directory of Gay and Lesbian Periodicals. Phoenix, AZ: Oryx Press, 1987. Pub. Cat. 87-4808. A directory of more than 1,900 titles. Contains subject/ geographic and publisher/ editor indexes. Out-of-date but still useful retrospectively.
Miller, Alan V., comp. Our Own Voices: A Directory of Lesbian and Gay Periodicals, 1890-1990: Including the Complete Holdings of the Canadian Gay Archives. Toronto: Gay Canadian Archives, 1991. JFF 92-2543. Major source to more than 7,200 gay and lesbian titles published worldwide, including titles of interest to bisexuals, transvestites, transsexuals, and the AIDS community. Sections devoted to guides, directories, and catalogs. The index contains a chronological list of magazines appearing from 1894-1969.
Potter, Clare, ed. Lesbian Periodicals Index. Tallahassee, FL: Naiad Press, 1986. *RS-SNA 86-5283. Author and subject index to forty-two U.S. lesbian periodicals from 1947-1985.
Ridinger, Robert B., comp. An Index to The Advocate: The National Gay Newsmagazine, 1967-1982. Los Angeles: Liberation Publications, 1987. JFF 92-2848 and *ZAN-T3212+.
Sherrill, Jan-Mitchell. The Gay, Lesbian, and Bisexual Students' Guide to Colleges, Universities, and Graduate Schools. New York: New York University Press, 1994. JFE 94-2697. Evaluates 189 institutions nationwide from the viewpoint of lesbian, gay, and bisexual students.
General Works
Bawer, Bruce. A Place at the Table: the Gay Individual in American Society. New York: Poseidon Press, 1993. JFE 93-13761. A spokesman for the gay "silent majority."
Boston Marriages: Romantic but Asexual Relationships among Contemporary Lesbians, edited by Esther D. Rothblum and Kathleen A. Brehony. Amherst, MA: University of Massachusetts Press, 1993. JFE 94-962.
Coming Out: an Anthology of International Gay and Lesbian Writings, edited by Stephan Likosky. New York: Pantheon Books, 1992. JFD 92-14888. Impressive collection of gay and lesbian non-fiction since 1969.
Corley, Rip. The Final Closet: The Gay Parents' Guide for Coming Out to Their Children. Miami: Editech Press, 1990. JFE 92-3232. Contains section on support groups, legal services, family and social services, and other resources.
Encyclopedia of Homosexuality, edited by Wayne R. Dynes. New York: Garland Pub., 1990, 2 volumes. JFF 90-553. An essential reference source containing more than 770 articles dealing with all aspects of homosexuality. A reader's guide is included for those who wish to pursue a systematic study of a subject.
Eyes of Desire: A Deaf Gay and Lesbian Reader, edited by Raymond Luczak. Boston: Alyson Publications, 1993. JFD 93-14123.
Faderman, Lillian. Surpassing the Love of Men: Romantic Friendship and Love Between Women, from the Renaissance to the Present. New York: Morrow, 1981. JLE 81-1509 and MSS DIV\IGIC\NONF\F4.
Fletcher, Lynne Yamaguchi. Lavender Lists: New Lists about Lesbian and Gay Culture, History, and Personalities. Boston: Alyson Publications, 1990. JFD 91-11871. Good index; highlights popular culture.
Grahn, Judy. Another Mother Tongue: Gay Words, Gay Worlds. Boston: Beacon Press, 1990. JFE 91-2029. Explores the use of language to define gay and lesbian culture by examining stereotypes as access points into history.
Inside/Out: Lesbian Theories, Gay Theories, edited by Diana Fuss. New York: Routledge, 1991. JFE 92-5027. An anthology of lectures, many originally delivered at the Second Annual Lesbian and Gay Studies Conference at Yale.
Lesbian and Gay Studies Reader, edited by Henry Abelove, Michele A. Barale, and David M. Halperin. New York: Routledge, 1993. [on order]
Lesbian Studies: Present and Future, edited by Margaret Cruikshank. Old Westbury, NY: Feminist Press, 1982. JLE 82- 1839.
A Lotus of Another Color: An Unfolding of the South Asian Gay and Lesbian Experience, edited by Rakesh Ratti. Boston: Alyson Publications, 1993. JFD 93-6814. The growth of self-definition as expressed in poems, essays, interviews, and short stories.
Marcus, Eric. Is It a Choice?: Answers to 300 of the Most Frequently Asked Questions About Gays and Lesbians. San Francisco: HarperSanFrancisco, 1993. JFD 93-10559.
Martin, Del and Phyllis Lyon. Lesbian/Woman. Volcano, CA: Volcano Press, 1991. JFE 92-5595. Classic work by the founders of Daughters of Bilitis, first published in 1972, now in a revised edition with a 20-year update.
The Persistent Desire: A Femme-Butch Reader, edited by Joan Nestle. Boston: Alyson Publications, 1992. JFD 92-11146. Anthology of fiction and non-fiction which illustrates the complex erotic and social statements inherent in butch-femme relationships.
Rist, Darrell Yates. Heartlands: a Gay Man's Odyssey Across America. New York: Dutton, 1992. JFE 92-11768.
Young, Gay & Proud!, edited by Sasha Alyson. 3rd Ed. Boston: Alyson Publications, 1991. JFD 92-12534. Classic guide for gay and lesbian teenagers, updated for the 1990's.
Biography, Autobiography, and Memoirs
Baker, Michael. Our Three Selves: The Life of Radclyffe Hall. London: H. Hamilton, 1985. JFE 89-2801.
Crisp, Quentin. The Naked Civil Servant. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1968. D-18 7275 and MSS DIV\IGIC\BIO\C18.
Kennedy, Hubert C. Ulrichs: the Life and Works of Karl Heinrich Ulrichs, Pioneer of the Modern Gay Movement. Boston: Alyson Publications, 1988. JFD 89-3804.
Kopay, David. The David Kopay Story: An Extraordinary Self- Revelation, co-authored by Perry Deane Young. New York: Arbor House, 1977. JFD 77-8215 and MSS DIV\IGIC\BIO\K10. Autobiography of a gay football player.
Lesbian Lives: Biographies of Women from The Ladder, edited by Barbara Grier and Coletta Reid. Oakland, CA: Diana Press, 1976. JFD 91-11443.
Liebman, Marvin. Coming Out Conservative: An Autobiography. San Francisco: Chronicle Books, 1992. JFE 92-964. The memoirs of a gay political figure who was one of the founders of the New York State Conservative Party.
Lorde, Audre. Zami, a New Spelling of My Name. Trumansburg, NY: Crossing Press, 1982. JFD 90-4113. Seminal work by this African-American poet.
Mavor, Elizabeth. The Ladies of Llangollen: A Study in Romantic Friendship. London: Joseph, 1971. D-20 6000. An engaging account of two women who lived together in eighteenth-century Britain.
A Member of the Family: Gay Men Write about Their Families, edited by John Preston. New York: Dutton, 1991. JFE 93-4894.
Merrill, James Ingram. A Different Person: A Memoir. New York: Knopf, 1993. JFE 93-12130. Autobiography of the American poet.
Miller, Merle. On Being Different: What It Means to be a Homosexual. New York: Popular Library, 1971. MSS DIV\IGIC\BIO\M26. A memoir by the author of Plain Speaking: An Oral Biography of Harry S. Truman.
Mollenkott, Virginia R. Sensuous Spirituality: Out from Fundamentalism. New York: Crossroad, 1992. JFE 92-10172.
Monette, Paul. Becoming a Man: Half a Life Story. New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1992. JFE 92-7174. The noted novelist discusses his life and education.
Navratilova, Martina. Martina, written with George Vecsey. New York: Knopf, 1985. JFD 88-7336.
Nestle, Joan. A Restricted Country. Ithaca, NY: Firebrand Books, 1987. JFD 88-10771. The autobiography of the lesbian writer and anthologist.
One Teenager in Ten: Writings by Gay and Lesbian Youth, edited by Ann Heron. Boston: Alyson Publications, 1983. JLD 88-25.
The Original Coming Out Stories, edited by Julia Penelope and Susan J. Wolfe. Expanded ed. Freedom, CA: Crossing Press, 1989. JFE 90-3529 and MSS DIV\IGIC\BIO\O7a.
Pallone, Dave. Behind the Mask: My Double Life in Baseball, written with Alan Steinberg. New York: Viking, 1990. JFE 90-7393. The life and struggles of a gay umpire.
Reid, John. The Best Little Boy in the World. New York: Ballantine Books, 1993, c1976. JFD 93-14601. A pseudonymous coming-of-age memoir.
Rorem, Ned. The New York Diary. New York: G. Braziller, 1967. JFD 91-7766. One of the diaries of the noted composer.
Sarton, May. May Sarton: A Self-Portrait, edited by Marita Simpson and Martha Wheelock. New York: W.W. Norton, 1986, c1982. JFD 86-7661.
Schumacher, Michael. Dharma Lion: A Critical Biography of Allen Ginsberg. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1992. JFE 92-12194.
Shilts, Randy. The Mayor of Castro Street: The Life and Times of Harvey Milk. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1982. JFE 83-4219 and MSS DIV\IGIC\BIO\S10. The biography of the San Francisco politician and gay activist.
Steffan, Joseph. Honor Bound: A Gay American Fights for the Right to Serve His Country. New York: Villard Books, 1992. JFE 92-10707.
Sweetman, David. Mary Renault: A Biography. London: Chatto and Windus, 1993. JFE 93-8481.
Timmons, Stuart. The Trouble with Harry Hay: Founder of the Modern Gay Movement. Boston: Alyson, 1990. JFD 91-2886.
Vining, Donald. A Gay Diary. New York: Pepys Press, 1979-1983. 4 vols. JFL 80-242 and MSS DIV\IGIC\BIO\V5.
Wells, Anna Mary. Miss Marks and Miss Woolley. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1978. JFE 78-3007. An examination of the relationship between Woolley, the president of Mount Holyoke College, and Marks, a writer and teacher at the College.
White, Edmund. Genet: A Biography. New York: Knopf, 1993. JFE 93-13354.
Wolff, Charlotte. Magnus Hirschfeld: A Portrait of a Pioneer in Sexology. London and New York: Quartet Books, 1986. JFE 87- 2729.
History
General Works
Classical, Medieval, and Renaissance
Modern
Hidden From History: Reclaiming the Gay and Lesbian Past, edited by Martin Duberman, Martha Vicinus, and George Chauncey, Jr. New York: NAL Books, 1989. JLE 90-325. Twenty-nine perceptive essays covering aspects of the gay and lesbian world from ancient to contemporary times. No index.
Classical, Medieval, and Renaissance Bailey, Derrick Sherwin. Homosexuality and the Western Christian Tradition. Hamden, CT: Archon Books, 1975. JFD 91-5625. Seminal work on the subject first published in 1955. Dated but valuable historical review spanning Antiquity to the end of the Middle Ages.
Boswell, John. Christianity, Social Tolerance, and Homosexuality: Gay People in Western Europe from the Beginning of the Christian Era to the Fourteenth Century. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1980. JLF 80-1524. Important work which explores the increasing hostility toward homosexuality following the collapse of the Roman state.
Bray, Alan. Homosexuality in Renaissance England. London: Gay Men's Press, 1988, c1982. 2nd ed. JLD 89-1481.
Brown, Judith C. Immodest Acts: the Life of a Lesbian Nun in Renaissance Italy. New York: Oxford University Press, 1986. JFD 85-9740. Biography of lesbian nuns illustrates 17th-century attitudes, especially within the church.
Cantarella, Eva. Bisexuality in the Ancient World. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1992. JFE 92-862. Covers the topic from the Greek Dark Age to the end of Imperial Rome.
Dover, Kenneth James. Greek Homosexuality. Updated ed. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1989. JFE 90-2562. An important-and demanding-work which covers Greek homosexuality from the eighth through the second centuries B.C.
Goodich, Michael. The Unmentionable Vice: Homosexuality in the Middle Ages. Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO, 1979. JLE 79-1505. Appendix contains the record of Arnold of Verniolle's trial for heresy and sodomy.
Halperin, David M. One Hundred Years of Homosexuality: And Other Essays on Greek Love. New York: Routledge, 1990. JLE 90-66.
Winkler, John J. The Constraints of Desire: The Anthropology of Sex and Gender in Ancient Greece. New York: Routledge, 1990. JFE 90-686.
Berube, Allan. Coming Out Under Fire: the History of Gay Men and Women in World War Two. New York: Free Press, 1990. JFE 90- 3833.
Chauncey, George. Gay New York: Gender, Urban Culture, and the Makings of the Gay Male World, 1890-1940. New York: Basic Books, 1994. JFE 94-12059.
Cory, Donald Webster. (pseud.) The Homosexual in America. New York: Greenberg, 1951. 8-SNZ and MSS DIV\IGIC\NONF\C47. Pivotal American work appealing for an understanding of the homosexual.
Cory, Donald Webster. (pseud.) The Lesbian in America. New York: Citadel Press, 1964. D-16-2321. Pioneer work, although Albert Ellis' introduction shows the bias of its time by offering psychotherapy as a cure. Valuable bibliography. Appendices relate to government employment and army regulations concerning homosexuals in the 1950's.
Cruikshank, Margaret. The Gay and Lesbian Liberation Movement. New York: Routledge, 1992. JFE 92-11486. The movement viewed from a feminist perspective.
D'Emilio, John. Intimate Matters: A History of Sexuality in America. New York: Harper and Row, 1988. JLE 89-418.
D'Emilio, John. Sexual Politics, Sexual Communities: The Making of a Homosexual Minority in the United States, 1940-1970. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1983. JLE 83-1001.
Duberman, Martin. About Time: Exploring the Gay Past. Rev. ed. New York: Meridian, 1991. JFD 92-6783. A collection of historical documents from various sources and of essays by Duberman. Part three of the first edition (JLE 87-3029) which consisted of extracts from Duberman's diary has been dropped from this edition in favor of additional essays. The bibliography prepared for his graduate course in gay and lesbian studies is appended.
Duberman, Martin. Stonewall. New York: Dutton, 1993. JFE 93-7624. Lesbian and gay life before and after Stonewall, as seen by six contemporaries.
Faderman, Lillian. Odd Girls and Twilight Lovers: a History of Lesbian Life in Twentieth-Century America. New York: Columbia University Press, 1991. JFE 91-5983. Cultural history traces the development of lesbian subcultures and emphasizes diversity.
Katz, Jonathan. Gay American History: Lesbians and Gay Men in the U.S.A.: a Documentary History. Rev. Ed. New York: Meridian, 1992. JFE 92-7653. Revised edition of a classic work invaluable to the study of gay and lesbian American history. Abundant primary material from 1528-1976 arranged thematically. Updated bibliography.
Katz, Jonathan. Gay/Lesbian Almanac. New York: Harper and Row, 1983. JLE 83-2882. This collection serves as a companion volume to Gay American History.
Kennedy, Elizabeth. Boots of Leather, Slippers of Gold. New York: Routledge, 1993. JFE 93-4087. History of a working-class lesbian community in Buffalo, N.Y.
Lesbians in Germany, 1890's-1920's, edited by Lillian Faderman and Brigitte Eriksson. Tallahassee, FL: Naiad Press, 1990. JFD 90-4640. Anthology of fiction and nonfiction reveals the history of German lesbianism.
Marcus, Eric. Making History: The Struggle for Gay and Lesbian Equal Rights, 1945-1990: An Oral History. New York: HarperCollins, 1992. JFE 92-6256 and JFE 92-10111.
Marotta, Toby. The Politics of Homosexuality. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1981. JLE 81-1793. History of gay political activity in the United States from the 1940's to the 1970's.
Norton, Rictor. Mother Clap's Molly House: the Gay Subculture in England, 1700-1830. London: GMP; distributed by InBook, East Haven, Conn., 1992. JFD 93-1404.
Not a Passing Phase: Reclaiming Lesbians in History, 1840-1985. London: Women's Press, 1989. JLD 90-315. Essays by various British authors.
The Pursuit of Sodomy: Male Homosexuality in Renaissance and Enlightenment Europe, edited by Kent Gerard and Gert Hekma. New York: Harrington Park Press, c1989. JLD 89-710.
Shilts, Randy. Conduct Unbecoming: Lesbians and Gays in the U.S. Military: Vietnam to the Persian Gulf. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1993. JFE 93-5782. A short prologue adds an historical perspective from 1778 to 1954. Copious notes and a selected bibliography.
Wheelwright, Julie. Amazons and Military Maids: Women Who Dressed As Men in the Pursuit of Life, Liberty and Happiness. Boston: Pandora, 1989. JFE 89-1349. Women who dressed as men throughout European and American history. Selected biographies, bibliography, and many illustrations.
Literature
Literary Criticism
Anthologies
Towards a Queer Aesthetic
Individual Works Of Fiction And Drama
Bergman, David. Gaiety Transfigured: Gay Self-Representation in American Literature. Madison, WI: University of Wisconsin Press, 1991. JFE 91-8104. Clum, John M. Acting Gay: Male Homosexuality in Modern Drama. New York: Columbia University Press, 1992. JFE 92-7254. Interprets the central works of gay male drama written by American and English playwrights from 1930-1992. Annotated bibliography.
De Jongh, Nicholas. Not in Front of the Audience: Homosexuality on Stage. New York: Routledge, 1992. JFD 92-11257. Male homosexuality as depicted in London and New York theaters from 1925-1985.
Displacing Homophobia: Gay Male Perspectives in Literature and Culture, edited by Ronald R. Butters, John M. Clum, and Michael Moon. Durham, NC: Duke University Press, 1989. JFE 91-7491.
Foster, David William. Gay and Lesbian Themes in Latin American Writing. Austin, TX: University of Texas Press, 1991. JFE 91- 8892. Extensive bibliography.
Garber, Eric. Uranian Worlds: a Guide to Alternative Sexuality in Science Fiction. 2nd Ed. Boston: G.K. Hall, 1990. JFE 91-2199. Numerous biographical notes. Appendices list anthologies, films, videos, and fan clubs. Chronological, title, and biographical indexes.
Grahn, Judy. The Highest Apple: Sappho and the Lesbian Poetic Tradition. San Francisco: Spinsters, Ink, 1985. JFD 87-2979.
Grier, Barbara. Lesbiana: Book Reviews from the Ladder, 1966-72. [Reno]: Naiad Press, 1976. JFD 78-5100. Insightful amusing reviews of several hundred books and periodicals from the vanguard lesbian magazine. Author/title index.
An Intimate Wilderness: Lesbian Writers on Sexuality, edited by Judith Barrington. Portland, OR: Eighth Mountain Press, 1991. JFE 91-10035. Literary collection on lesbian sexuality.
Koponen, Wilfrid R. Embracing a Gay Identity: Gay Novels as Guides. Westport, CT: Bergin & Garvey, 1993. JFE 93-10414. The coming-out experiences of gay men as depicted in six contemporary novels.
Lesbian and Gay Writing: an Anthology of Critical Essays, edited by Mark Lilly. Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire: Macmillan, 1990. JFD 90-9603. Written by gay and lesbian contributors, the book contains chapter notes but no separate bibliography. Index of persons only.
Rule, Jane. Lesbian Images. London: Pluto Press, 1989, c1975. JFD 90-4267. The theme of lesbianism as seen in a variety of literary and nonfiction sources.
Sedgwick, Eve Kosofsky. Between Men: English Literature and Male Homosocial Desire. New York: Columbia University Press, 1985. JFE 85-1191.
What Lesbians Do in Books, edited by Elaine Hobby and Chris White. London: Women's Press, 1991. JFD 92-2899. British anthology of writings about lesbians as writers, readers, critics, and characters in literature.
Zimmerman, Bonnie. The Safe Sea of Women: Lesbian Fiction, 1969-1989. Boston: Beacon Press, 1990. JFE 90-6620.
Black Men/White Men: A Gay Anthology, edited by Michael J. Smith. San Francisco: Gay Sunshine Press, 1983. (S) JFD 85-2456 and MSS DIV\IGIC\NONF\B63a. A collection of essays, short stories, and poems dealing with the gay black experience.
Companeras: Latina Lesbians, compiled by Juanita Ramos. New York: Latina Lesbian History Project, 1987. JFD 89-2352. Bilingual collection of oral history, fiction, poetry, essays, and art by and about Latina lesbians.
Discontents: New Queer Writers, edited by Dennis Cooper. New York: Amethyst Press, 1992. JFD 92-13580.
The Faber Book of Gay Short Fiction, edited by Edmund White. London and Boston: Faber and Faber, 1991. JFD 91-10519.
Gay and Lesbian Poetry in Our Time: an Anthology, edited by Carl Morse and Joan Larkin. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1988. JFE 89-277. An outstanding collection. Brief sketches of the poets are included.
Gay Plays, edited by Michael Wilcox. London and New York: Methuen, 1984- . Volumes 1-4. JFK 87-199.
Here to Dare: 10 Gay Black Poets, edited by Assotto Saint. New York: Galiens Press, 1992. JFD 93-5930 and JFD 93-10598.
Lesbian Plays, selected by Jill Davis. Volumes 1-2. London: Methuen, 1987- . JFK 90-27.
Living the Spirit: a Gay American Indian Anthology, edited by Will Roscoe. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1988. HBC 88-2466. A collection of stories, poems, and essays by and about gay Native Americans. Addendum includes contacts, resources, and a bibliography of sources and suggested reading.
Men on Men: Best New Gay Fiction, edited by George Stambolian, New York, 1986- . Volume 1, JFD 93-18430; volume 2, JFD 89-398; volume 3, JFD 93-8874; volume 4, JFD 94-410; volume 5, JFD95-11587.
Naming the Waves: Contemporary Lesbian Poetry, edited by Christian McEwen. London: Virago, 1988. JFD 90-152.
Now the Volcano: An Anthology of Latin American Gay Literature, edited by Winston Leyland. San Francisco: Gay Sunshine Press, 1979. JFD 80-5472 and MSS DIV\IGIC\FIC\L42.
The Penguin Book of Gay Short Stories, edited by David Leavitt and Mark Mitchell. New York: Viking, 1994. JFE 94-2451.
The Penguin Book of Lesbian Short Stories, edited by Margaret Reynolds. New York: Viking, 1993. (S) JFD 93-16467.
The Violet Quill Reader: the Emergence of Gay Writing After Stonewall, edited by David Bergman. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1994. JFD 94-11241.
Women on Women: An Anthology of American Lesbian Short Fiction, edited by Joan Nestle and Naomi Holoch. New York: Plume, 1990. JFD 92-35.
Throughout the centuries, homosexual literature has remained hidden in plain sight, never far from view but elusive to all except those who created and read it. Thus ghettoized, gay literature was the furtive province of imagined moral guilt and perceived deviant sexuality, inhabited by doomed homosexuals and social outcasts.
The past twenty-five years have witnessed the emergence of gay literature from the realms of the clandestine into the maincurrents of cultural thought, and the establishment of a major literary movement with an ever-increasing canon of work. It is a movement that, by reaching deeply into the shared and individual experiences and complexities of homosexual life, is laying claim to all the potential for expressive thought that literature offers, taking issue with the untrue and illuminating the universal human need and desire for self-worth, affirmation, pleasure, gratification, and love.
It has been suggested that, like other literary movements, gay literature requires its own critical standard or aesthetic, an all-encompassing queer aesthetic. Others believe that gay literature should be held to the same critical standards as other literary movements. The debate over the purpose and future of gay literature and its relation to a larger cultural landscape will continue. A resolution to the conflict between gay assimilationists and gay militants over legitimacy versus liberation is nowhere in sight. That the controversy can take place, and in the clear light of day, may be the most significant achievement of all.
The following very selective, illustrative list of imaginative works of literature is chosen to provide an overview of modern gay and lesbian literature.
Individual Works Of Fiction And Drama
NB: Where appropriate, only one edition of a particular work is listed here; consult the catalogs for other editions.
Allison, Dorothy. Trash. Ithaca, NY: Firebrand Books, 1988. JFD 89-711.
Baldwin, James. Giovanni's Room. New York: Dial Press, 1956. D-10 1295.
Brown, Rita Mae. Rubyfruit Jungle. Plainfield, VT: Daughters, inc., 1973. JFD 77-11691.
Cameron, Peter. Leap Year. New York: Harper and Row, 1990. JFE 90-4689.
Chambers, Jane. Last Summer at Bluefish Cove. New York: JH Press, 1982. JFD 90-1553.
Colette, Sidonie Gabrielle. The Pure and the Impure, translated by Herma Briffault. New York: Farrar, Straus, and Giroux, 1967. D-17 8633.
Cooper, Dennis. Wrong: Stories. New York: Grove Weidenfeld, 1992. JFD 92-13228.
Crowley, Mart. The Boys in the Band. New York: Farrar, Straus, and Giroux, 1968. MSS DIV\IGIC\DRA\C24.
Cunningham, Michael. A Home at the End of the World. New York: Farrar, Straus, and Giroux, 1990. JFE 91-2460.
Dixon, Melvin. Vanishing Rooms. New York: Dutton, 1991. JFD 91-7950.
Duplechan, Larry. Captain Swing, a Love Story. Boston: Alyson Publications, 1993. JFD 93-14274.
Flagg, Fannie. Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe. New York: Random House, 1987. JFE 87-6057.
Genet, Jean. Miracle of the Rose. New York: Grove Press, 1966. D-17 1430.
Hall, Radclyffe. The Well of Loneliness. New York: Coviei Friede, 1928. NCW.
Hemphill, Essex. Ceremonies. New York: Plume, 1992. JFD 92-10875.
Holleran, Andrew. Dancer from the Dance. New York: Morrow, 1978. JFD 80-4075 and JFD 78-8343.
Hollinghurst, Alan. The Swimming Pool Library. London: Chatto and Windus, 1988. JFE 88-5110.
Islas, Arturo. Migrant Souls. New York: Morrow, 1990. JFC 90-1937.
Isherwood, Christopher. A Single Man. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1964. D-15 7319.
Kenan, Randall. Let the Dead Bury Their Dead and Other Stories. San Diego: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1992. JFD 92-13235.
Kramer, Larry. The Normal Heart. New York: New American Library, 1985. JFD 93-8967.
Leavitt, David. The Lost Language of Cranes. New York: Knopf, 1986. JFD 86-9839.
Mars-Jones, Adam. Monopolies of Loss. London; Boston: Faber and Faber, 1992. JFD 92-18078.
Maupin, Armistead. Tales of the City. New York: Harper and Row, 1978. JFL 79-221.
McGehee, Peter. Sweetheart. Toronto: HarperCollins, 1992. JFD 92-12271.
Miller, Isabel. Patience and Sarah. New York: Ballantine, 1983, c1969. JFC 90-2001.
Monette, Paul. Taking Care of Mrs. Carroll. Boston: Little, Brown, 1978. JFD 78-3538.
Nava, Michael. How Town: A Novel of Suspense. New York: Harper and Row, 1990. JFD 90-6535.
Peck, Dale. Martin and John. New York: Farrar, Straus, and Giroux, 1993. JFC 93-1233.
Picano, Flice. The Lure. New York: Delacorte Press, 1977. JFE 79-4102.
Raphael, Lev. Dancing on Tisha B'Av. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1990. JFD 91-4314.
Rechy, John. City of Night. New York: Grove Press, 1963. D-15 196.
Renault, Mary. The Charioteer. New York: Pantheon, 1959. D-11 8303.
Sarton, May. The Education of Harriet Hatfield. New York: W.W. Norton, 1989. JFD 89-3668.
Scully, Robert. A Scarlet Pansy. New York: W. Faro, 1932. D-17 6698.
Vidal, Gore. The City and the Pillar. New York: E. P. Dutton, 1948. NCW.
Walker, Alice. The Color Purple. New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1982. JFD 82-2023.
Weir, John. The Irreversible Decline of Eddie Socket. New York: Harper & Row, 1989. JFD 90-4432.
White, Edmund. The Beautiful Room is Empty. New York: Knopf, 1988. JFD 89-4580.
Whitmore, George. Nebraska. New York: Grove Press, 1987. Rev. ed. New York: Washington Square Press, 1989. [on order]
Williams, Tennessee. Collected Stories. New York: New Directions Pub. Corp., 1985. JFE 86-2890.
Legal, Social, And Behavioral Sciences
Bayer, Ronald. Homosexuality and American Psychiatry: The Politics of Diagnosis. New York: Basic Books, 1981. JLD 81-1600 and MSS DIV\IGIC\NONF\B24. A narrative of the events leading to the American Psychiatric Association's decision to remove "homosexuality" from its mental diseases list.
Bell, Alan P. Homosexualities: A Study of Diversity Among Men and Women. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1978. JLE 79-286. The result of a survey of the San Francisco Bay Area begun in the 1960's by the Institute for Sex Research, this study remains important and especially relevant since the advent of AIDS.
Berger, Raymond M. Gay and Gray: the Older Homosexual Man. Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 1982. JLE 82-1370 and MSS DIV\IGIC\NONF\B42. A valuable psycho-sociological examination of aging based upon questionnaires of 112 gay men. Contains lengthy profiles of six interview respondents. A pre-AIDS study.
Beyond Tolerance: Gays, Lesbians, and Bisexuals on Campus, edited by Nancy J. Evans and Vernon A. Wall. Alexandria, VA: American College Personnel Association, 1991. JFE 92-9996. Gay, lesbian, and bisexual issues on campus. The last chapter serves as a resource guide to books, films, periodicals, and organizations.
Califia, Pat. Sapphistry: The Book of Lesbian Sexuality. Tallahassee, FL: Naiad Press, 1988. (S) JLD 90-501. Includes a resource list, an index, and information on lesbians and AIDS.
Camp Grounds: Style and Homosexuality, edited by David Bergman. Amherst: University of Massachusetts Press, 1993. JFE 94-1287. Essays on various aspects of "camp."
Cavin, Susan. Lesbian Origins. San Francisco: Ism Press, 1985. JFD 90-10828. A lesbian challenge to the heterosexism inherent in the social sciences. Glossary, notes, statistical tables, and bibliography.
Comstock, Gary D. Violence Against Lesbians and Gay Men. New York: Columbia University Press, 1991. JBE 91-1453. Contains copious notes and a selected bibliography.
Counseling Gay Men and Lesbians: Journey to the End of the Rainbow, edited by Sari H. Dworkin and Fernando J. Gutierrez. Alexandria, VA: American Association for Counseling and Development, 1992. JFE 92-10311.
Fairchild, Betty. Now That You Know: What Every Parent Should Know About Homosexuality. Updated ed. San Diego: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1989. JFD 92-12292. This edition includes a discussion on AIDS and the family.
Forms of Desire: Sexual Orientation and the Social Constructionist Controversy, edited by Edward Stein. New York: Garland, 1990. JLD 90-2318. Essays which go beyond the basic debate concerning essentialism versus social constructionism.
Gay Culture in America: Essays from the Field, edited by Gilbert Herdt. Boston: Beacon Press, 1992. JFE 92-2867. This collection of socio-anthropological essays neatly complements the pre-AIDS work edited by Martin Levine: Gay Men: the Sociology of Male Homosexuality (JLD 84-72).
Grey, Antony. Quest for Justice: Towards Homosexual Emancipation. London: Sinclair-Stevenson, 1992. JFE 92-9161. Homosexual law reform in Great Britain in the 1950's and 1960's. Good index, appendices, and bibliography.
Gross, Larry P. Contested Closets: the Politics and Ethics of Outing. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 1993. JFE 93-13329. Includes a selection of full-text newspaper and periodical articles on outing.
Hanscombe, Gillian E. Rocking the Cradle: Lesbian Mothers: A Challenge in Family Living. Boston: Alyson Publications, 1982. JLD 84-194.
Hunter, Nan D. The Rights of Lesbians and Gay Men: the Basic ACLU Guide to a Gay Person's Rights. Carbondale, IL: Southern Illinois Press, 1992. JFC 92-3158.
Kitzinger, Celia. The Social Construction of Lesbianism. London and Newbury Park, CA: Sage Publications, 1987. JFD 91-4145. New ways of looking at the study of lesbianism within the social sciences.
Lambda Gray: A Practical, Emotional, and Spiritual Guide for Gays and Lesbians Who Are Growing Older, edited by Jeanne Adleman. North Hollywood, CA: Newcastle Pub., 1993. JFD 93-14721. Aging and self-actualization as seen through the eyes of lesbians and gay men. Includes a useful chapter on resources. No index.
Lesbian Psychologies: Explorations and Challenges. Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 1987. JLE 87-3062. Essays by several authors on lesbian identity, relationships, family, therapies, and community.
Lewes, Kenneth. The Psychoanalytic Theory of Male Homosexuality. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1988. JFE 92-3930. The theory historically examined from Freud to the early 1980's.
Long Time Passing: Lives of Older Lesbians, edited by Marcy Adelman. Boston: Alyson Publications, 1986. JLD 87-3331. Personal accounts by aging lesbians; lists resources for health and legal assistance.
McDonald, Helen B. Homosexuality: a Practical Guide to Counseling Lesbians, Gay Men, and Their Families. New York: Continuum, 1990. JFD 90-10907. Also discusses strategies for aiding special needs groups within the lesbian and gay communities.
Mohr, Richard D. Gays/Justice: a Study of Ethics, Society, and Law. New York: Columbia University Press, 1988. JFE 91-7489.
Out of the Closets: Voices of Gay Liberation, edited by Karla Jay and Allen Young. 2nd ed. New York: New York University Press, 1992. JFD 92-15910. A reprint (with added foreword by John D'Emilio) of the classic gay liberation collection first published in 1972.
"Queer Theory: Lesbian and Gay Sexualities," edited by Teresa de Lauretis, published as the summer, 1991, issue of Differences: A Journal of Feminist Cultural Studies. JFL 91-290.
Ritualized Homosexuality in Melanesia, edited by Gilbert Herdt. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1984. JFE 84-3901. Distinguished anthropologists contribute essays covering aspects of this practice among a wide cross-section of Melanesian cultures. Extensive bibliography and index.
Samar, Vincent J. The Right to Privacy: Gays, Lesbians, and the Constitution. Philadelphia: Temple University Press, 1991. JFD 91-8758.
Signorile, Michelangelo. Queer in America: Sex, the Media, and the Closets of Power. New York: Random House, 1993. JFE 93- 6819.
Tatchell, Peter. Europe in the Pink: Lesbian and Gay Equality in the New Europe. London: GMP, 1992. JFD 92-9217. A major revision and expansion of the author's Out in Europe. Contains status reports on individual countries, including those in Eastern Europe. Current through 1991.
Whitam, Frederick L. Male Homosexuality in Four Societies: Brazil, Guatemala, the Philippines, and the United States. New York: Praeger, 1986. JLE 86-1825. A cross-cultural study which attempts to exhibit common elements in the development of a homosexual personality regardless of the cultural context. An insightful work although cross-gender patterns seem overemphasized. Bibliography and index.
Williams, Walter. The Spirit and the Flesh: Sexual Diversity in American Indian Culture. Boston: Beacon Press, 1992. HBC 92-17606. An exploration of the character and tradition of the berdache.
Woods, James D. The Corporate Closet: The Professional Lives of Gay Men in America. New York: Free Press, 1993. JBE 94-412.
AIDS
AIDS Caregiver's Handbook, edited by Ted Eidson. Rev. ed. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1993. *R-Econ. RC607 .A26 .A34572 and JFD 93-15308. Description of the disease itself, discussion of counseling issues, practical matters of homecare, and essays on AIDS. Appendixes include a bibliography, sample forms, and directories of relevant organizations.
AIDS in the World, edited by the Global AIDS Policy Coalition. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1992. *R-WE 93-1642. Broad, non-technical analysis of the AIDS epidemic worldwide. Describes its spread and shape across different regions and sectors of the population, with many statistics and maps. Discusses responses to AIDS, from medical research to preventive education.
Dietz, Stephen D. Take These Broken Wings and Learn to Fly: The Support Book for Patients, Family and Friends Living with AIDS. Tucson, AZ: Harbinger House, 1992. JFD 93-2653.
Hombs, Mary Ellen. AIDS Crisis in America: A Reference Handbook. Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO, 1992. *R-WE 93-2836. Includes essays on various aspects of AIDS in the United States, directories of AIDS-related organizations, and a bibliography.
Huber, Jeffrey T. How to Find Information About AIDS. New York: Haworth Press, 1992. *R-Econ. RC607 .A26.H9 and Pub. Cat. 93-1596. Lists AIDS-related organizations, state health agencies, hotlines, research institutions, grant funding sources, and education and training centers. The bibliography includes both print and electronic sources.
Langone, John. AIDS: The Facts. Boston: Little, Brown, 1991. JFD 91-14004. Broad description of AIDS discussing treatments, prospects for a vaccine, prevention, and testing.
Shilts, Randy. And the Band Played On: Politics, People, and the AIDS Epidemic. New York: Penguin, 1988. JFE 92-5879. Bestselling book on the historical and political aspects of the AIDS epidemic in the United States.
Religion And Philosophy
Allen, Jeffner. Lesbian Philosophy: Explorations. Palo Alto, CA: Institute of Lesbian Studies, 1986. JFD 90-3857.
The Churches Speak On-Homosexuality: Official Statements from Religious Bodies and Ecumenical Organizations, edited by J. Gordon Melton. Detroit: Gale Research, 1991. JFE 93-925. Statements from 1563 to 1990.
Conner, Randy P. Blossom of Bone: Reclaiming the Connection Between Homoeroticism and the Sacred. San Francisco: HarperSanFrancisco, 1993. JFE 94-501. An interesting cross-cultural account of gender variance and same-sex desire within spiritual traditions.
Douglas, Carol Anne. Love and Politics: Radical Feminist and Lesbian Theories. San Francisco: Ism Press, 1990. JFD 91-4363.
Hoagland, Sarah L. Lesbian Ethics: Toward New Value. Palo Alto, CA: Institute of Lesbian Studies, 1988. JFE 90-7318.
Homosexuality and World Religions, edited by Arlene Swidler. Valley Forge, PA: Trinity Press International, 1993. JFD 93- 9851.
Lesbian Philosophies and Cultures, edited by Jeffner Allen. Albany, NY: State University of New York Press, 1990. JFE 90- 6460.
McNeill, John J. The Church and the Homosexual. Updated Ed. Boston: Beacon Press, 1988. JLD 88-3876. Appendices contain discussions of textual revision, AIDS, and the publishing history of this book.
Nice Jewish Girls: A Lesbian Anthology, edited by Evelyn T. Beck. Boston: Beacon Press, 1989. *PYI 90-363.
Perry, Troy. The Lord is My Shepherd and He Knows I'm Gay, written with Charles L. Lucas. Los Angeles: Nash Pub., 1972. JLD 73-98 and MSS DIV\IGIC\BIO\P13a. The life of the founder of the Metropolitan Community Churches, a denomination with a specific ministry to gay men and lesbians.
Twice Blessed: On Being Lesbian, Gay and Jewish, edited by Christie Balka and Andy Rose. Boston: Beacon Press, 1989. *PBT 90-185.
Film Studies
De Lauretis, Teresa. Technologies of Gender: Essays on Theory, Film, and Fiction. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1987. JFE 88-304.
Dyer, Richard. Images: Essays on Representations. London and New York: Routledge, 1993. MFL 93-10659.
Dyer, Richard. Now You See It: Studies on Lesbian and Gay Film. London and New York: Routledge, 1990. MFL 91-2643.
Gays and Film, edited by Richard Dyer. Rev. ed. New York: New York Zoetrope, 1984. MFL 86-522.
How Do I Look?: Queer Film and Video. Seattle: Bay Press, 1991. MFL 92-19432.
Queer Looks: Perspectives on Lesbian and Gay Film and Video, edited by Martha Gever, Pratibha Parmar, and John Greyson. New York: Routledge, 1993. JFE 93-12705.
Russo, Vito. The Celluloid Closet: Homosexuality in the Movies. New York: Harper and Row, 1981. MFL 81-1764.
Weiss, Andrea. Vampires and Violets: Lesbians in Film. New York: Penguin, 1993. JFE 94-1900.
Periodicals
The Library has representative holdings of gay and lesbian periodicals both past and current. Apart from the bibliographies and checklists noted above, Magazines for Libraries (7th Ed., 1992, Pub. Cat. 93-230) offers annotated entries for many currently published serials. Malinowsky's International Directory of Gay and Lesbian Periodicals and Miller's Our Own Voices (see Directories and Indexes) are best employed as retrospective sources.
The International Gay Information Center's [IGIC's] Checklist of Periodicals (Pub. Cat. 92-19166) should be consulted for those titles not yet cataloged. Titles included in this list are maintained by the Manuscripts and Archives Division and are accessible through the Special Collections Office. Since some of these titles may be duplicated in other divisions of the Library, please check the catalog.
A comprehensive index to gay and lesbian periodicals does not currently exist. (The creation of one would enhance every aspect of gay and lesbian research and would lend further support to the discipline as a scholarly pursuit.)
An overview of serial titles can be obtained through the catalog with the keyword searches gay periodicals and lesbian periodicals. Using these keywords results in the greatest number of citations. Older titles which began before 1972 (e.g. One and The Ladder) may also be found in the catalog.
The following statement from The Lesbian and Gay Studies Reader (New York: Routledge, 1993), pages 653-654, is valuable for its analysis of the current state of periodical literature in gay and lesbian studies:
GLQ: A Journal of Lesbian and Gay Studies provides wide coverage of the field. The Journal of Homosexuality is especially strong in the quantitative social sciences, though it also carries articles in other areas including literary criticism. Journal of the History of Sexuality publishes regularly in lesbian/gay history. differences: A Journal of Feminist Cultural Studies is another periodical well worth following; it is home to much work in queer theory. Genders carries a wide range of lesbian/gay studies articles-in history, literary criticism, cultural studies, and art history. Hypatia and Lesbian Ethics carry philosophy. Signs, Feminist Review, and Feminist Studies all include current scholarship on lesbianism, done from many different disciplinary perspectives. Radical America, Socialist Review, Radical History Review, Radical Teacher, and Social Text all carry some lesbian/gay studies work, particularly work that is politically inflected. Camera Obscura, Discourse, and Jump Cut carry some lesbian/gay studies work on film and popular culture, while Raritan, ELH: A Journal of English Literary History, Representations, Critical Inquiry, and Yale Journal of Criticism carry some in literary criticism. The Lesbian and Gay Studies Newsletter provides networking news for students and teachers, and reviews of books. It also provides, in every issue, a list of the various discipline-specific bulletins in lesbian/gay studies (such as the Association of Lesbian/Gay Psychologists Newsletter and G&L Caucus News of the College Art Association), and of the bulletins produced by specific centers for lesbian/gay studies (such as Center/Fold: Toronto Centre for Lesbian & Gay Studies Newsletter and Homologie Documentatiecentrum Homostudies, University of Amsterdam), along with information on how to subscribe to them.
There are other periodicals which are relatively less academic and professional, relatively more community-based and popular. These include the women's journals Conditions, Sinister Wisdom, Heresies, Frontiers, Off Our Backs, and Sojourner; the black gay journal Other Countries; and Out/Look, Christopher Street, The Guide, Magnus, QW, and The Advocate. All make contributions to lesbian/gay studies. So do community newspapers, such as Angels (Vancouver), The Bay Area Reporter (San Francisco), Capital Gay (London), The Blade (Washington, D.C.), Gai Pied Hebdo (Paris), Bay Windows (Boston), Rites (Toronto), and Windy City Times (Chicago).
Selected Internet Sites
Archives and Collections | Arts, Literature, and Culture | E-Journals & Online Newspapers | Gender Identity and Sexual Orientation | General Resources | History | Law | Organizations | Organizations, Professional | Religion | Syllabi
Archives and Collections
Archives gaies du Quebec
http://www.agq.qc.ca/
Provides all types of documents (manuscripts, printed materials, visual, audio, and others) on the gay and lesbian community in Quebec, Canada. English and French versions available.
Canadian Lesbian and Gay Archives
http://www.clga.ca/
For over 25 years, CLGA has collected and maintained information related to gay and lesbian life in Canada, including material on people, organizations, issues and events.
Gender and Sexuality
http://eserver.org/gender/
Texts which address gender studies and queer studies, with a particular focus on discussions of sex, gender, sexual identity, and sexuality in cultural practices.
Guide to Gay and LEsbian REsources: A Classified Bibliography Based Upon the Collections of the University of Chicago Library
http://www.lib.uchicago.edu/e/su/gaylesb/glguide.html
This online bibliography "identifies and classifies over 4500 monographs and serials in the University of Chicago Library collections that deal primarily with gay and lesbian themes."
James C. Hormel Gay and Lesbian Center
http://sfpl4.sfpl.org/webroot/librarylocations/main/glc.htm
"The Gay and Lesbian Center is a research center devoted to the documentation of lesbian and gay history and culture by collecting, preserving and providing access to material on all aspects of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered experience." The center is a part of the San Francisco Public Library.
Lesbian Herstory Archives
http://www.datalounge.net/network/pages/lha/welc.htm
The Lesbian Herstory Archives of New York City, the largest and oldest Lesbian archive in the world, began in 1973.
Arts, Literature, and Culture
Gay History and Literature
http://www.infopt.demon.co.uk/gayhist.htm
Essays by Rictor Norton which cover The Queer Canon, The Homosexual Pastoral Tradition, Queer Culture, The Great Queens of History, A History of Homoerotica, and A History of Homophobia.
gltbq: An Encyclopedia of Gay, Lesbian. Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Culture
http://www.glbtq.com/
Searchable and browsable encyclopedia. Entries include bibliographies, citation information, and related links.
Lambada Literary Foundation
http://www.lambdalit.org/
"It is the mission of the Lambada Literary Foundation to support and further the creation and dissemination of writings by, for, and about the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender community."
PopcornQ Movies
http://www.planetout.com/pno/popcornq/
PlanetOut presents a searchable and browsable list of queer films.
Queer Arts Resource
http://www.queer-arts.org/
"Queer Arts Resource is a not-for-profit educational forum for the display and discussion of queer art and culture."
Reclaiming History
http://www.uic.edu/depts/quic/history/reclaiming_history.html
Biographies which celebrate the lives of gay and lesbian artists.
Russian Gay Culture
http://community.middlebury.edu/~moss/RGC.html
Overviews of Russian gay literature, history, and films.
Women in the Sahdows: Lesbian Pulp Fiction Collection
http://scriptorium.lib.duke.edu/women/pulp.html
Chronicles classic lesbian pulp fiction of the 1950s and early 1960s. From the Sallie Bingham Center for Women's History and Culture at Duke University.
E-Journals & Online Newspapers
Advocate
http://www.advocate.com
"The award-winning national gay and lesbian newsmagazine Web site."
Blithe House Quarterly
http://www.blithe.com/
A site for gay short fiction.
Genders
http://www.genders.org/
Innovative works in the arts, humanities, and in social theory. From the University of Colorado.
GLQ: Journal of Lesbian and Gay Studies
http://muse.jhu.edu/journals/glq/index.html
A new interdisciplinary journal that promises to bring a queer perspective to issues of sex and sexuality.
International Gay & Lesbian Review
http://www.usc.edu/isd/archives/oneigla/onepress/index.html
Abstracts and reviews of materials relating to LGBT Studies.
National Journal of Sexual Orientation Law
http://www.ibiblio.org/gaylaw/
Focus is on legal issues affecting lesbians, gay men and bisexuals. Current through 1998.
Gender Identity and Sexual Orientation
Sexual Orientation: Science, Education, and Policy
http://psychology.ucdavis.edu/rainbow/index.html
"This site features work by Dr. Gregory Herek, an internationally recognized authority on sexualprejudice (also called homophobia), hate crimes, and AIDS stigma. It provides factual information to promote the use of scientific knowledge for education and enlightened public policy related to sexual orientation and HIV/AIDS." Also available in French.
General Resources
Collection of Lesbian Herstory Sites
http://www.cwrl.utexas.edu/~gsiesing/ala/herstorysites.html
Provides links to more than 40 sites. Primary focus is on North American resources, although links to several international sites are included.
Domestic Partner Information
http://www.cs.cmu.edu/afs/cs.cmu.edu/user/scotts/domestic-partners/mainpage.html
From Carnegie Mellon University.
Gay and Lesbian Studies: a Research Guide
http://www.nypl.org/research/chss/grd/resguides/gay.html
Annotated bibliography from the Research Libraries of the New York Public Library.
Knitting Circle
http://www.sbu.ac.uk/~stafflag/index.html
Resources on lesbian and gay issues. Topics include art, biography, film, government, history, law, literature, music, poetry, psychology, science, sociology, sports, etc. Produced by the Lesbian and Gay Staff Association, South Bank University, London.
Lesbian.com
http://lesbian.com/
International web resource for lesbian, includes links to sites on activism, arts, business, health, media, politics, sports, and other areas. "Providing a comprehensive reference to lesbian information on the web is a goal we have nurtured since October of 1999."
Library Q: The Library Worker's Guide to Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgendered Resources
http://library.auraria.edu/libq/index.html
Library Q: The Library Worker's Guide to Resources for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Questioning Users is specifically developed as an aid to librarians working in the area of LBGT librarianship." . . . "Emulating the organization of a traditional bricks and mortar library, this virtual library contains resources oriented to both public and technical services, including directories, bibliographies, checklists, and other resources compiled by Library Q staff as well as annotated links to a myriad of other resources developed by other library workers, bibliophiles, and knowledgeable people."
Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays
http://www.pflag.org
PFLAG is the national advocacy and support organization for family members and friends of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered persons.
Queer Resources Directory
http://www.qrd.org/qrd/
"The Queer Resources Directory contains 25488 files about everything queer." Arranged by subject.
QueerTheory.com
http://www.queertheory.com/
"QueerTheory.com provides you with the best online resources integrated with the best visual and textual resources in Queer Culture, Queer Theory, Queer Studies, Gender Studies and related fields."
radfae.org: A Web Site for Radical Faerie Information
http://www.radfae.org/
"This radfae.org web site exists to pull together Radical Faerie information: links to resources and web pages, news, information,and pointers to other faerie lists." The group defines itself as generally tending "to be Gay men who look for a spiritual dimension to our sexuality; many of us are healers of one kind or another. Our shared values include feminism, respect for the Earth, and individual responsiblity rather than hierarchy." Many of us are Pagan (nature-based religion).
Stonewall and Beyond
http://www.columbia.edu/cu/lweb/eresources/exhibitions/sw25/
"The online edition of a Columbia University Libraries exhibition held from May 25 to September 17, 1994 in conjunction with the international celebration of the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Stonewall Riots."
Stonewall Center at UMass Amherst
http://www.umass.edu/stonewall/
Established in 1984, this educational resource center's site offers information on "cultural and educational programming, video, audio, and text library holdings, educational resources, information and referral, harassment and discrimination responses, advocacy, training and support, and community outreach."
TransBiblio: A Bibliography of Print, AV, and Online Resources Pertaining to Transgendered Persons and Transgender Issues
http://gateway.library.uiuc.edu/LIBRARY/CIRC/Transgender_Bibliography/transbibliocontents.htm
Browsable bibliography has listings by subject and by material type.
History
Bibliography of Queer History
http://www.infopt.demon.co.uk/bibhist.htm
Bibliographies arranged by time, geographic region, or discipline.
gayhistory.com
http://www.gayhistory.com/
This site provides "an introduction to the stories and the people of modern gay history (1700-1973). The site is an ongoing project and most articles about gay male history from 1700-1900 have been completed."
GLBT Historical Society
http://www.glbthistory.org/
"The mission of the GLBT Historical Society is to collect, preserve, exhibit, and otherwise make available to the public historical, cultural, and artistic materials related to gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender communities, identities, and practices, as well as of other sexual minorities."
Homosexuality in Early Modern Europe
http://www.uwm.edu/People/jmerrick/hbib.htm
Bibliography arranged by country and subject.
Homosexuality in Eighteenth Century England
http://www.infopt.demon.co.uk/eighteen.htm
An overview essay and a number of primary documents.
Isle of Lesbos
http://www.sappho.com/about.html
This site "is intended to serve as a place of art and culture for women-oriented women, offering a historical glimpse into lesbian lives and vintage views of affection between women." Online since Fall 1995.
Nazi Persecution of Homosexuals, 1933-1945
http://www.ushmm.org/museum/exhibit/online/hsx/
Online exhibit from the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.
People With a History
http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/pwh/
This site "presents the history of lesbians, gay men, bisexuals and transgendered people [=LGBT]. It includes hundreds of original texts, discussions, and [soon] images, and addresses LGBT history in all periods, and in all regions of the world."
Law
Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund
http://www.lambdalegal.org/cgi-bin/iowa/index.html
A national organization committed to achieving full recognition of the civil rights of lesbians, gay men, and people with HIV/AIDS through impact litigation, education, and public policy work.
Lesbian/Gay Law Notes
http://www.le-gal.org/lesbian&.htm
Journal tracks significant new legislation, reports on new court decisions, administrative rulings, and executive actions, and highlights new publications of interest. A publication of the Lesbian and Gay Law Association of Greater New York.
Organizations
ACT UP
http://www.actupny.org/
The Aids Coalition to Unleash Power " is a diverse, non-partisan group of individuals united in anger and committed to direct action to end the AIDS crisis."
Bisexual Resource Center
http://www.biresource.org
This nonprofit, educational organization's site "makes available a number of. . . publications, as well as other resources about bisexuality and/or bisexuals. In conjunction with commercial distributors, we also provide virtual storefronts to provide convenient access to bi-related books, videos, and recordings." Includes an essay by Liz Highleyman titled "A Brief History of the Bisexual Movement."
Center for the Study of Sexual Minorities in the Military (CSSMM)
http://www.gaymilitary.ucsb.edu/
"The Center promotes the interdisciplinary analysis of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered and other marginalized sexual identities in the armed forces." Includes scholarly articles, teaching and research resources, program calendar, and newsletter.
Frameline
http://www.frameline.org/
Frameline is an organization whose "mission is to support, develop, and promote lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer visibility through media arts. Through a variety of programs and activities,Frameline provides access to films and videos dealing with a wide variety of issues related to sexuality and gender. Each year Frameline presents the San Francisco International Lesbian & Gay Film Festival,the world's oldest and largest event of its kind."
Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation
http://www.glaad.org/
"The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) is dedicated to promoting and ensuring fair, accurate and inclusive representation of individuals and events in all media as a means of eliminating homophobia and discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation."
Gay and Lesbian National Hotline
http://www.glnh.org
"The Gay & Lesbian National Hotline is a non-profit, tax-exempt organization dedicated to meeting the needs of the gay and lesbian community by offering free and totally anonymous information, referrals and peer-counseling."
Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network
http://www.glsen.org/
The Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network "is the leading organization fighting to end anti-gay bias in K-12 schools."
Human Rights Campaign
http://www.hrc.org/
"The Human Rights Campaign works on behalf of more than 500,000 diverse members to ensure equality for the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community."
National Gay and Lesbian Task Force
http://www.ngltf.org/
The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force "is the national progressive organization working for the civil rights of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered people, with the vision and commitment to building a powerful political movement."
Organizations, Professional
Association of Lesbian and Gay Psychiatrists
http://www.aglp.org/
Gay and Lesbian Medical Association [USA]
http://www.glma.org/
Society of Lesbian and Gay Anthropologists
http://www.usc.edu/isd/archives/iglr/solga/main.html
"The Society of Lesbian and Gay Anthropologists (SOLGA) of the American Anthropological Association was founded in 1988. SOLGA promotes communication, encourages research, develops teaching materials, and serves the interests of gay and lesbian anthropologists within the association."
Religion
Affirmation: Gay and Lesbian Mormons
http://www.affirmation.org/
"With chapters around the world, Affirmation serves the needs of gays, lesbians, bisexual LDS and their supportive family and friends through social and educational activities."
Dignity/USA
http://dignityusa.org/
"The United States' largest and most progressive organization of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender Catholics."
Syllabi
CLAGS Syllabi
http://web.gsuc.cuny.edu/clags/index.html
The Center for Lesbian & Gay Studies (CUNY) collection of syllabi - across many disciplines. Includes sample courses in Education, Comparative Literature, Political Science and Social Work.
Introduction to Sexuality Studies
http://www.inform.umd.edu/EdRes/Topic/Diversity/Specific/Sexual_Orientation/Syllabi/Introduction/
From the University of Maryland's Diversity Database - a sampling of undergraduate syllabi.
Syllabi and Courses
http://www.queertheory.com/academics/syllabi/default.htm
Links to courses around the U.S. From QueerTheory.com.
Transtudies
http://www.angelfire.com/on/transtudies/
Syllabus from one of the first transgendered studies courses -- held at Brown University (1998).