Outward: A History of the Gay Right with Neil J. Young
Apr 17, 2024
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Writer Neil J. Young discusses the history of the Gay Right movement, highlighting contradictions, the role of whiteness and maleness, and the evolution of beliefs over 70 years. They explore the response to the AIDS crisis, the intersection of gay rights and conservative ideologies, and the current stance on trans rights within the LGBTQ community.
Early gay Republicans challenged governmental oppression and fought pivotal legal battles for LGBTQ freedom.
Gay Republicans shifted towards 'gay family values' in the 1980s, aligning with social conservatives and stabilizing society through a conservative approach to gay rights.
Deep dives
The Origins of the Modern Gay Rights Movement
The podcast delves into the start of the modern gay rights movement in the 1950s, emphasizing figures like Dorr Leg and highlighting the conservative auspices under which the movement began. It discusses how these early activists challenged governmental oppression and led pivotal legal battles, such as the case against the US Post Office for obscenity charges, showcasing their bravery and advocacy for LGBTQ freedom.
The Shift Towards Gay Family Values
The podcast describes a significant transformation in the 1980s among gay Republicans towards advocating 'gay family values,' which included ideals of monogamy, relationships, and marriage. Initially involved in AIDS activism and defending personal freedoms, these individuals later aligned with social conservatives, aiming to stabilize society through a conservative approach to gay rights, signaling a shift in their political stance.
The Era of Victimhood and Grievance Politics
During the 1990s and 2000s, the gay Republican movement takes a conservative turn, embracing rhetoric of victimhood and grievance, particularly highlighted by claims that being 'out' as a Republican was harder than as gay. This shift aligns with broader white male grievance politics within the Republican Party, as gay Republicans position themselves as oppressed individuals within the political spectrum.
The Weaponization of Gay Identity for Far-Right Ideologies
In the mid-teens, the podcast explores a troubling period characterized by figures like Milo Yiannopoulos who employed gay identity to legitimize far-right views. The transformation showcased the mainstreaming of extremist narratives using camp sensibility, misogyny, and racism, aligning with grievance politics prevalent in the Republican Party. This development underscores the crossover between gay identity and right-wing ideologies, leading to divisive rhetoric and discord within the LGBTQ community.
This week Bryan talks to writer Neil J. Young about his new book Coming Out Republican: A History of the Gay Right. They dig into some of the inherent contradictions of the Gay Right and the pillars of their political strategy and reveal how central whiteness and maleness is to their politic.