Description
[Social Practice minor] This course focuses on the history of same-sex sexuality, and to a lesser extent, gender identity, in the United States from the 19th century to the present day. We consider the changing meanings of same-sex desires, acts, identities, and relationships; the social definitions and regulations of same-sex love and sexuality; the emergence of sexual and gender subcultures and identities; and the growth of advocacy movements around gay and lesbian civil rights. While examining the overall American experience, we also utilize materials that reveal parallel activities in the Kansas City area. Though not as recognized as the gay communities in larger cities like San Francisco or New York, Kansas City has been home to some of the most active and pioneering gay and lesbian organizations, establishments, and individuals in the country, dating as far back as the 1930s. The archival sources for these local stories are drawn from the Gay and Lesbian Archive of Mid-America