Gay L. A.: A History of Sexual Outlaws, Power Politics, and Lipstick Lesbians

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Synopsis
The exhortation to "Go West!" has long captured the American imagination. But for the gays, lesbians, and transgendered people who have moved to L.A. over the past two centuries, the City of Angels has offered a special home--which in turn gave rise to one of the most influential gay cultures in the world. Drawing upon untouched archival materials and over three hundred new interviews, Lillian Faderman and Stuart Timmons chart L.A.'s unique gay history, from the first missionary encounters with Native American cross-gendered "two spirits" to cross-dressing frontier women in search of their fortunes; from the same-sex salons of early Hollywood powers such as Alla Nazimova and George Cukor to the explosion of gay life during World War II. They show how underground organizing began locally in the 1950s and spread nationally as well as how L.A.'s radical gay liberation movement of the sixties and seventies evolved into today's power politics. Unparalleled financial resources nurtured an institutionalized lesbian and gay culture that has interwoven with the fabric of national culture. Faderman and Timmons show how geography, economic opportunity, and a constant influx of new people created a city that fostered more lasting gay institutions than any other in America. Combining broad historical scope with deftly wrought stories of real people, from the Hollywood sound stage to the Barrio, Gay L.A. is American social history at its best. LILLIAN FADERMAN is the award-winning author of numerous books on lesbian/gay history, including Surpassing the Love of Men and Odd Girls and Twilight Lovers, which were both named among The New York Times notable books of the year. Her most recent book, Naked in the Promised Land, received the Judy Grahn Award for nonfiction.
Copyright:
2006

Book Details

Book Quality:
Excellent
Book Size:
447 Pages
ISBN-13:
9780465022885
Publisher:
Basic Books
Date of Addition:
Copyrighted By:
Lillian Faderman and Stuart Timmons
Adult content:
No
Language:
English
Has Image Descriptions:
No
Categories:
History, Nonfiction, Sociology
Submitted By:
Terry Gorman
Proofread By:
Terry Gorman
Usage Restrictions:
This is a copyrighted book.

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