The Homosexual in America

Book excerpt: The Homosexual in America: A Subjective Approach, published in 1951, is considered one of the most influential works in the history of the gay rights movement and inspired compassion in others by highlighting the difficulties faced by homosexuals. The book is considered "one of the most influential works in the history of the gay rights movement" Donald Webster Cory was the pseudonym for Edward Sagarin, an American professor of sociology and criminology at the City University of New York, and a writer. Sagarin is often titled the "father of the homophile movement" for asserting that gay men and lesbians deserved civil rights as members of a large, unrecognised minority. In an era when discussing homosexuality openly was often taboo, Cory fearlessly bridges the gap between scholarship and personal insight. Drawing from his own encounters, interviews, and extensive research, he paints an intimate portrait of the lives of LGBTQ+ individuals, chronicling their struggles, triumphs, and the evolving societal attitudes that shape their existence. The publication of the book was considered a "radical step", as it was the first publication in the United States that discussed homosexual politics and sympathetically presented the plight of homosexuals. In the book Sagarin described how homosexuals were discriminated against in almost all aspects of their lives and called for a repeal of anti-homosexuality laws, as well as displacing many of the myths and stereotypes that existed at that time around homosexuality. Through thought-provoking anecdotes, poignant stories, and candid reflections, the book navigates the intricacies of coming out, relationships, discrimination, and the pursuit of self-discovery.