Homosexuality and urban settings Quick Cards Flashcards
When and why did a gay subculture emerge?
Thought that a subculture emerged due to increased urbanization!
Boswell- says that between 1100- 1250, many European cities increased in population by fix or sixfold- escaping to city: city brings freedom!
Micheal Sabilis- Urban subculture appeared around 1700, though may have been present before but just unrecorded.
Matt Cook- London had undergone a massive expansion and had a population of around 600,000, twenty times larger than the nearest town.
What was the urban subculture like in the 18th century?
- Mainly a male subculture- says that there was actually more gay clubs and pubs in the 1720s London than their was in the 1950s.
- Moorfields so notorious for homosexuality- basically became synonymous with it!
- Molly Houses- 40 homosexuals found in a 1725/6 raid on Mother Clap’s Molly house!
- Gay men- female dialect, would talk to each other and call each other by names etc.
What persecution was there in the eighteenth century?
Almost everywhere in Europe it was possible to execute people for sodomy, most was burning at the stake though British was hanging and Dutch drowning
Had been illegal since 1533?
Before enlightened thinking? Still thought of as a sin?
What was urban subculture like in the nineteenth century?
London- Molly Houses existed until the 1820s, famous once being White Swan in Vere street which was raided in 1810, the Barley Mow off the strand, repressed 1825.
Rise in aestheticism- hellenism- pursuit that which you wish to pursue.
The commercial fancy dress ball developed from 1850s onwards, men would dress in drag.
New York- Bowery, at least six gay resorts here by 1899- centre of commercialized vice, also places such as broadway,
Was there persecution of homosexuals in the nineteenth century?
England and Wales executed 55 men from 1805 to 1835 for sodomy, one seventh of the number executed for murder.
1861- Britain repealed the death penalty and replaced it with a prison term up to 10 years!
Homosexuality had been illegal since the 16th century, hardly ever enforced before the 1720s
Homosexuality became more visible with the rigorous policing of the capital that followed the formation of the metropolitan police force during 1829.
1855, Guide to London, describes ‘monsters in the shape of men’.
1898- George Bedborough was fined £100 for selling Henry Havelock Ellis and John Addington SYmons book- sexual inversion.
What was the homosexual subculture like in the twentieth century?
London: The second World war brought an increased time of freedom- Cyril in 1932 ‘I have only been queer since I came to London’. Houlbrook, Queer London definitely a gay subculture- can seen from topography. What your experiences were depended upon class!
New York: ‘city of the single’, 900,000 unmarried men and 700,000 unmarried women 1928.
L.A- that there was a vibrant gay and lesbian community after WW2, although dependent on class once again.
Berlin- before Nazi Germany, over 40 clubs/ 30 publications- 22,000 known male prostitutes in 1929.
Paris- used to hold masked balls etc.
What persecution was there?
Berlin- the Third Reich- Hitler, and then the anti-gay laws afterwards.
L.A- it was the police that rigorously wanted to enforce persecutions
Why was an urban setting good for gay people?
City meant freedom-
Anonymity.
Population- more people to talk to and mix with!
More places to hide!
A network of support
a subculture need a large and cohesive minority population if going to thrive, this then means that it takes place in an urban setting.
Why are urban settings good for historians?
Good for sources!
- Rise in cultural output- more sources available.
-Police records- specific incidents
-More people- so more likely to find stuff.
Nature of the city- more likely to have gay people?
- more people, more likely to find like-minded people!
-Anonymity- more places to hide!
