A Queer Reader edited by Patrick Higgins
Book review by Penny Merrell (from May/June 2000 Heartbeat)This is an odd book to me. And perhaps the fault is that I was looking for a resolution or point that was not the intention of the editor. The jacket blurb notes "Patrick Higgins has compiled an anthology which illustrates the changing and the unchanging aspects of [male] homosexuality." The first group of chapters are selections of historical chronology followed by those of specific subjects. Higgins introduces each chapter with his explanations and observations, and herein lies my difficulty.
The anthology selections are varied--interesting, quirky, sad, funny, exasperating. Higgins provides references for all the selections which in turn makes this a reference book. He is British and perhaps that is the reason for his point of view about the political and social issues of the gay community which seems to have gaps. For example, the movement to strike sodomy laws, "The problem is that such laws were rarely used. Even Katz . . . accepts that in colonial America despite vicious laws only three men were ever executed for sodomy." (p7) and "Legislators have passed laws without number prohibiting homosexual acts. Yet while the records of law courts survive throughout Europe over a long period of time, all seem to report few prosecutions for such crimes. . .. " (p9)
While this may well be the correct historical record, he never challenges the concept that these laws may be wrong. Neither does he investigate nor include much about the civil rights issues of marriage, children, privacy, freedom from harassment, etc. He describes but dismisses the Stonewall riots and ends that paragraph, "Appropriately enough the day is commemorated by parades and festivals in the great cities of the West. One day, one imagines, it will be honoured with a postage stamp." (p222)
Beyond Higgins’ commentary, the selections provide information as well as historical tidbits and factoids. Throughout the centuries, much of the rhetoric has remained the same. The lies and misinformation are well documented. I'm unsure to whom I would recommend this book. One of our gay members might see this book differently and I would be interested to hear other comments.
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