Beyond Shame: Reclaiming the Abandoned History of Radical Gay Sexuality

by Patrick Moore

Book Overview

The radical sexuality of gay American men in the 1970s is often seen as a shameful period of excess that led to the AIDS crisis. Beyond Shame claims that when the gay community divorced itself from this allegedly tainted legacy, the tragic result was an intergenerational disconnect because the original participants were unable to pass on a sense of pride and identity to younger generations. Indeed, one reason for the current rise in HIV, Moore argues, is precisely due to this destructive occurrence, which increased the willingness of younger gay men to engage in unsafe sex. Lifting the'veil of AIDS, ' Moore recasts the gay male sexual culture of the 1970s as both groundbreaking and creative-provocatively comparing extreme sex to art. He presents a powerful yet nuanced snapshot of a maligned, forgotten era. Moore rescues gay America's past, present, and future from a disturbing spiral of destruction and AIDS-related shame, illustrating why it's critical for the gay community to reclaim the decade.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 080707957X
• ISBN13: 9780807079577
• Release Date: January 2004
• Publisher: Beacon Press
• Length: 264 Pages
• Weight: 0.64 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 5.5" x 8.5"

Customer Reviews

a very honest well researched book

Moore does an excellent job of highlighting how one-sided much of the discussion has been regarding 70's gay urban culture and while one may not agree with all of his statements, it is a thoroughly interesting and informative piece with great depth and fine writing. Gay artists and performers of the 70's and onward are discussed at great length, which will be of interest to many.

A compelling account of the gay sexual revolultion

This is an extraordinary book. As a gay man in my 30s, I've never really connected with the gay sex world in the 70s although I've always been interested in it. The books that I've read about the 70s have been dry and academic but Moore's book brings the era to life. I was riveted both by the profiles of some of the characters of the time and by the idea that sex can be a kind of art. It should be required reading for all gay men.