Queerly Bookish: A Queer History of the U.S.
July 12, 2012On June 7th, Michael Bronski presented his award-winning book A Queer History of the United States in a book talk and signing at the Coop in Harvard Square. I hadn’t been to a book talk at the Coop before, but it was a nice event with free coffee and a casual atmosphere. It was clear during the question-and-answer period that only a few of us had read the book, but after hearing Bronski speak, everyone wanted to.
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Bronski did not read from his book, but he led us through a few of the main themes, with entertaining examples. While the title is “A Queer History,” Bronksi explained that “it’s all history.” He didn’t have to force a queer narrative onto the country’s past; he just highlighted what was already there and the people who were already integral to the American story.
Bronski said that when he teaches queer history, his students often resist assuming that the letters and other historical sources they read expressed romantic or erotic desire. They say that it’s just the rhetoric of the time period, or that the writers are being metaphorical. I agree that it’s best not to make assumptions about sexuality, but Bronski points out that sometimes people were being metaphorical, and other times they really were being gay.
He read a pair of letters between nineteenth century women. One wrote that she longed to rest her head on her friend’s bosom when they saw each other again. So far, so potentially-straight, if you take into account the florid language of letter-writing of the day. However, her friend answered that she planned to keep her nightgown buttoned … but asked her friend not to hold it against her if she forgot. Maybe she was joking, or maybe she was teasing her sweetheart.
The point is that people are complicated. Relationships, gender, and sexuality aren’t black and white. Sometimes one partner thinks you’re platonic best friends, while the other sees the relationship as asexual but romantic. Sometimes people have unrequited crushes. Sometimes two women live happily ever after together, but only their friends know. Often, peopledon’t look at the queer side of history because people like things to be neat and tidy.
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The book is far from just a catalog of queer people; it also discusses major social movements influencing and influenced by queer life. Bronski explains useful historical concepts like the persecuting society, which is the phenomenon when the majority of people in society feel protected by demonizing or scapegoating a minority. I hope the book clears up a few concerns I had. For example, during the talk, it seemed to me that Bronski was falling into the common trap of using straight relationships in a historical figure’s life as counter-examples to the hypothesis that they were queer (as if all queer people were exclusively gay or lesbian). I’m looking forward to reading the book and seeing how this and other concepts are explored – and you should read A Queer History of the United States, too.
To find out about other author events at the Harvard Coop, you can pick up a flyer in their store, or visit their Facebook page.
I’ve covered a lot in my first post. Now, I want to hear from you. Comment away! Whether or not you’ve read the book before, I’d like to hear your thoughts.
- Have you been to author events at the Coop? What did you think?
- Who are your favorite queer or maybe-queer historical figures?
- What’s your take on queer history?
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Tegan likes writing, books, and literary happenings around town, she is combining those interests here by writing about books and literary events. She is a museum professional by day and a freelance writer by night – and sometimes the other way around. She writes about local history at Cambridge Considered: the colorful history of Cambridge, MA. She’s also a knitter, music enthusiast, UU, and social geek. Find her on Twitter @tegankehoe.
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Diffuse 5 is a website providing events, news, articles and interviews for the lesbian, bisexual, transgender and queer community in Boston and beyond.
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