Changing World of Gay Men

This ground-breaking study focuses on the lived experiences of gay men who were born during the twentieth century. Spanning an era of change, from when homosexuality was illegal through to the less repressed but no less difficult times of gay liberation and the HIV-AIDS epidemic, The Changing World of Gay Men shows that what it is to be gay is historically contingent. The men's personal stories include their experiences of being closeted during the Cold War, the exuberance, and, for some, personally challenging times of gay liberation and the 1970s disco culture; and a time of fear and grief during the HIV-AIDS epidemic. Through a series of interviews, this book illustrates the significant shifts in sexual attitudes, culture and tolerance during a most turbulent era for homosexual men.