John D'Emilio and Estelle Freedman describe the different sexual worlds of plantation slaves, European immigrants, and the urban middle class, and how sexual matters moved from the privacy of the bedroom to its commercial exploitation and its entry into mass culture. The authors shed light on the complex nature of race, gender, and class inequality. They discuss such issues as white slavery and lynching, how sex has served as a symbol for a wide range...

Why has the gay freedom struggle continued to thrive despite the conservative political climate of recent years? What happens when gay and lesbian educators come out of the closet? Combining historical and political analysis with autobiography and memoir. This book brings together the essays of John D'Emilio, a pioneering gay historian and long-time movement activist. Written over a period of almost twenty years, these essays provide a unique exploration...