Thanks for once again expanding my world view! It's always refreshing to read about people who are boldly being themselves (whatever that means for them).
I have been wondering if the 1920s were actually more progressive than many of the following decades? For instance, I think Berlin had a thriving queer and artistic community in the 1920s (which is portrayed in Babylon Berlin).
Hi Bere, thank you so much for reading and sharing this post. I do agree that there is a perception that the 1920’s might’ve been more progressive than the ‘40’s and ‘50’s. I’m some ways, it’s true because it was before Hitler and Eisenhower/Hoover. Before them, the queer scene was still very much underground and heavily policed (illegal) but less publicly alarmist. It became more of a public outrage after events like the Nazi takeover of Berlin when so many queer people were put in concentration camps. And in America, there was the Lavender Scare during the Cold War. Many people believed that the Soviet Union could blackmail queer people into spying for them by discovering and threatening to reveal information about their sexual orientations and that same-gender-attracted people therefore posed a national security threat.
In 1953, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed an executive order which effectively designated anyone suspected of being homosexual as a security risk and banned them from holding jobs working for the government. With the help of FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover (who was totally queer) over 5,000 federal employees were fired. After those events, the public perception of homosexuality remained hostile. Then you’ve got Stonewall and Reagan and on and on…
Beautiful. What a legend! I know what I'm listening to today...
Ma was a class act. You sure got to prove it on me that she's not legendary.
Thanks for once again expanding my world view! It's always refreshing to read about people who are boldly being themselves (whatever that means for them).
I have been wondering if the 1920s were actually more progressive than many of the following decades? For instance, I think Berlin had a thriving queer and artistic community in the 1920s (which is portrayed in Babylon Berlin).
Hi Bere, thank you so much for reading and sharing this post. I do agree that there is a perception that the 1920’s might’ve been more progressive than the ‘40’s and ‘50’s. I’m some ways, it’s true because it was before Hitler and Eisenhower/Hoover. Before them, the queer scene was still very much underground and heavily policed (illegal) but less publicly alarmist. It became more of a public outrage after events like the Nazi takeover of Berlin when so many queer people were put in concentration camps. And in America, there was the Lavender Scare during the Cold War. Many people believed that the Soviet Union could blackmail queer people into spying for them by discovering and threatening to reveal information about their sexual orientations and that same-gender-attracted people therefore posed a national security threat.
In 1953, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed an executive order which effectively designated anyone suspected of being homosexual as a security risk and banned them from holding jobs working for the government. With the help of FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover (who was totally queer) over 5,000 federal employees were fired. After those events, the public perception of homosexuality remained hostile. Then you’ve got Stonewall and Reagan and on and on…
Oh wow, I didn't expect such a detailed response. If you ever want to expand into writing about general history, you already have half a post here! :)
Lol, sorry about that. Can you tell I get passionate about the subject, ha?