A fascinating glimpse of queer history

intro = Out of the Past: Gay and Lesbian History from 1869 to the present
By Neil Miller
Vintage, 1995, 657 pp., $17.95 (pb)
Reviewed by Kath Gelber To write a gay and lesbian history from 1869 to the present is no small task, but Miller has put together a very impressive collection. His style is very easy to read, and while the collection is dominated by European and US stories — particularly from the upper middle classes — it also contains some interesting stories not easily found elsewhere. One of these is a chapter on the Berdache, the name given in native American communities to women who assumed some male roles, or men who assumed some female roles. Berdaches were often given a special ceremonial status in the tribe, and were permitted to be married. Such insights into a history which fits uneasily into the identity and political moulds of today's gay and lesbian communities are fascinating and well worth reading. The collection is enlightening in that it not only gives us some anecdotal stories about famous gays and lesbians from Oscar Wilde to Radclyffe Hall, but also raises questions about other infamous characters from history, including J. Edgar Hoover, and documents police and governmental persecution of early gay and lesbian organisations. A chapter on the birth of Stonewall is inspiring reading, as is the coverage of Harvey Milk's campaign and subsequent murder by a homophobe. I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants a quick lesson in queer history, or a reminder of the vibrant, dynamic and proud history of the gay and lesbian movements. And I didn't know John Maynard Keynes was gay.

From GLW issue 217