This three-volume collection of essays reveals the widespread existence of queer men and women in American popular culture, and showcases their important yet little-known role in shaping our society over the last 120 years.
The virtually unknown existence of gay, bisexual, and queer men and women in American popular culture from the late 1800s through the present day is a fascinating topic for many readers, regardless of their own orientation. Whether it's the father of bodybuilding, famous closeted entertainers or sports stars, or the leading characters in current television shows and films, queer men and women have changed the face of American popular culture and society for over a century. Ironically, most of the fascinating information, anecdotes, and revealing facts about well-known figures in American culture are virtually unknown to the typical U.S. citizen.
Elledge's Queers in American Popular Culture covers a wide variety of historical and current topics that documents how the queer community has been-and continues to be-one of the most significant shapers of American popular culture. Currently, no other book covers queer topics in American popular culture as broadly as this text.
Set Introduction
Jim Elledge
Chapter 1: Marry, Mary! (Quite Contrary): Homosexual Marriage in ONE Magazine, 1953-1959
C. Todd White
Chapter 2: Queer Appetites, Butch Cooking: Recipes for Lesbian Subjectivities
Katharina Vester
Chapter 3: Advertising: Gays Conquer Another Media Venue
Rodger Streitmatter
Chapter 4: "We're Paying Customers Too": Gay Viewers Call for the Conspicuous Representation of Gay Characters
Lyn J. Freymiller
Chapter 5: Dropkicks, Body Slams, and Glitter: The Queer Image in North American Pro-Wrestling
Bryan Luis Pacheco
Chapter 6: Babylon Baseball: When the Pitcher Catches
Mark John Isola
Chapter 7: Communitarian Considerations for the Coverage of "Outed" Athletes
Richard Kenney
Chapter 8: "It Is Just Something Greek; That's All": Eugen Sandow-Queer Father of Modern Body Building"
Jim Elledge
Chapter 9: RuPaul: Fashioning Queer
Alison Bancroft
Chapter 10: Boi's Story
Barclay Barrios
Chapter 11: He's My Gay Mother: Ballroom Houses, Housework, and Parenting
Marlon M. Bailey
Chapter 12: From the Margins to the Mainstream: Communication about Travel and Tourism in the Gay Community, 1960-2000
David R. Coon
Chapter 13: Pride Translated: The Gay Carnival, San Francisco 2008
Christal Seahorn
Chapter 14: A Thin Line Between Being Straight or Gay: Portrayal of Lesbian Women in Advertising
Malgorzata Skorek
Chapter 15: "Seeing Is the Tithe, Not the Prize": Queer Femme Gender Expression in the 1990s and Current Decade
Anika Stafford
Chapter 16: Celebrating Ostara: A Ritual Performance by Gay Male Contemporary Pagans
John S. Gentile
Chapter 17: Matthew Shepard: Giving a Human Face to Anti-Gay Violence
Rodger Streitmatter
Index
About the Editor and Contributors
