Outlaw Marriages: The Hidden Histories of Fifteen Extraordinary Same-Sex Couples
May 2012 · Sold by Beacon Press
4.0star
2 reviews
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224
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About this ebook
Celebrate LGBTQIA+ history with the untold stories of 15 prominent same-sex couples who defied cultural norms and made significant contributions to the arts, social change, and more.
For more than a century before gay marriage became a hot-button political issue, same-sex unions flourished in America. Pairs of men and pairs of women joined together in committed unions, standing by each other “for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health” for periods of 30 or 40—sometimes as many as 50—years. In short, they loved and supported each other every bit as much as any husband and wife.
In Outlaw Marriages, cultural historian Rodger Streitmatter reveals how some of these unions didn’t merely improve the quality of life for the 2 people involved but also enriched the American culture. Among the high-profile couples are:
• Nobel Peace Prize winner Jane Addams and Mary Rozet Smith
• Literary icon Gertrude Stein and Alice B. Toklas
• Author James Baldwin and Lucien Happersberger
• Artists Jasper Johns and Robert Rauschenberg
• Legendary poet Walt Whitman and Peter Doyle
• Classic Hollywood star Greta Garbo and Mercedes de Acosta
While no partnership is the same—some were tumultuous, while others were more supportive and long-lasting—all changed the course of American history.
For more than a century before gay marriage became a hot-button political issue, same-sex unions flourished in America. Pairs of men and pairs of women joined together in committed unions, standing by each other “for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health” for periods of 30 or 40—sometimes as many as 50—years. In short, they loved and supported each other every bit as much as any husband and wife.
In Outlaw Marriages, cultural historian Rodger Streitmatter reveals how some of these unions didn’t merely improve the quality of life for the 2 people involved but also enriched the American culture. Among the high-profile couples are:
• Nobel Peace Prize winner Jane Addams and Mary Rozet Smith
• Literary icon Gertrude Stein and Alice B. Toklas
• Author James Baldwin and Lucien Happersberger
• Artists Jasper Johns and Robert Rauschenberg
• Legendary poet Walt Whitman and Peter Doyle
• Classic Hollywood star Greta Garbo and Mercedes de Acosta
While no partnership is the same—some were tumultuous, while others were more supportive and long-lasting—all changed the course of American history.
Ratings and reviews
4.0
2 reviews
Douglas Knutson
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January 30, 2013
Please do yourself a MASSIVE favor and read this book. It is absolutely incredible. Gay marriage is "not [considered] traditional" for the exact same reason it is "condemned" in the bible: the words "gay marriage" didn't exist in in the conventional lexicon...but they existed in our hearts nonetheless...and they call out to us from the past.
About the author
Rodger Streitmatter is a journalist and cultural historian whose work explores how the media have helped to shape American culture. He is currently a professor in the School of Communication at American University and is the author of seven previous books.
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