An American obsession : science, medicine, and the place of homosexuality in modern society

Drawing on original research from medical texts, psychiatric case histories, pioneering statistical surveys, first-person accounts, legal cases, sensationalist journalism, and legislative debates, Jennifer Terry has written a nuanced and textured history of how the century-old obsession with homosexuality is deeply tied to changing American anxieties about social and sexual order in the modern age. Terry's overarching argument is compelling: that homosexuality served as a marker of the "abnormal" against which malleable, tenuous, and often contradictory concepts of the "normal" were defined. One of the few histories to take into consideration homosexuality in both women and men, Terry's work also stands out in its refusal to erase the agency of people classified as abnormal. She documents the myriad ways that gays, lesbians, and other sexual minorities have coauthored, resisted, and transformed the most powerful and authoritative modern truths about sex. Proposing this history as a "useable past," An American Obsession is an indispensable contribution to the study of American cultural history. Drawing On Original Research From Medical Texts, Psychiatric Case Histories, Pioneering Statistical Surveys, First-person Accounts, Legal Cases, Sensationalist Journalism, And Legislative Debates, Jennifer Terry Has Written A History Of How The Century-old Obsession With Homosexuality Is Deeply Tied To Changing American Anxieties About Social And Sexual Order In The Modern Age. Terry's Overarching Argument Is The Homosexuality Served As A Maker Of The Abnormal Against Which Malleable, Tenuous, And Often Contradictory Concepts Of The Normal Were Defined. One Of The Few Histories To Take Into Consideration Homosexuality In Both Women And Men, Terry's Work Also Stands Out In Its Refusal To Erase The Agency Of People Classified As Abnormal. She Documents The Myriad Ways That Gays, Lesbians, And Other Sexual Minorities Have Coauthored, Resisted, And Transformed The Most Powerful And Authoritative Modern Truths About Sex.--jacket. Modernity And The Vexing Presence Of Homosexuals -- Medicalizing Homosexuality -- United States Of Perversion -- Progressive Science In Search Of Sexual Normality -- Fluid Sexes -- Committee For The Study Of Sex Variants -- Sex Variant Subjects -- Policing Homosexuality -- Disease Or Way Of Life? -- Parents, Strangers, And Other Dangers -- Fear Of A World Conspiracy -- Discerning Allies And Enemies. Jennifer Terry. Includes Bibliographical References (p.481-521) And Index. CONTENTS......Page 8 Preface and Acknowledgments......Page 10 Introduction......Page 16 1 Modernity and the Vexing Presence of Homosexuals......Page 42 2 Medicalizing Homosexuality......Page 55 3 The United States of Perversion......Page 89 4 Progressive Science in Search of Sexual Normality......Page 135 5 Fluid Sexes......Page 174 6 The Committee for the Study of Sex Variants......Page 193 7 Sex Variant Subjects......Page 235 8 Policing Homosexuality......Page 283 9 Disease or Way of Life?......Page 312 10 Parents, Strangers, and Other Dangers......Page 330 11 Fear of a World Conspiracy......Page 344 12 Discerning Allies and Enemies......Page 368 Epilogue......Page 393 Notes......Page 416 Bibliography......Page 496 Index......Page 538 When they first appeared in the late nineteenth century, scientific writings on homosexuality offered meditations on the complex nature of sexuality in modernity and especially on the myriad social disruptions and cultural transformations with which modernity came to be associated.