SOCI 1040 Chapter Notes - Chapter Chauncey: Speakeasy, Invisibility, Metrosexual
Document Summary
Rise in gay culture in new york from late 19th c. all the way to wwii. Literature, theatre, dance, etc as well as bars, saloons, speakeasies, and streets of ny. Myth of isolation: anti-gay hostility prevented a successful gay movement/subculture. Gay neighborhoods and social circles helped find jobs, housing, romance, and friendships. Gays withdrew from the normative culture and were put into isolation away from reality. Solidarity: community w/in the gay community but away from society. Myth of invisibility: gay world was hidden and hard to find for those out of the loop. Hidden from the dominant culture; subculture thrived. Myth of internationalization: fear of social pressure = internalization self hatred. Subculture provided resources necessary to reject the dominant culture. The term closeted came from the notion that men had to hide to fit into the culture. Coming out used to be coming into the gay society/community . Initiation or integration into the gay world.
