Gay warriors
Subtitle: a documentary history from the ancient world to the present
By: edited by B.R. Burg
Contributors: Burg, B. R. 1938-
Publisher: New York University Press
Published: 2002
Place of publication: New York
Language: eng
Number of pages: 299
Subjects: Soldiers -- Sexual behavior -- History; Homosexuality -- History; Gay and lesbian studies; Gays in the military -- United States
Description: In Ancient Greece and Rome, in Crusader campaigns and pirate adventures, same-sex romances were a common and condoned part of military culture. From the Peloponnesian War to the Gulf War, from Achilles to Lawrence of Arabia, gays and lesbians have played a crucial but often hidden role in military campaigns. But recent debates over the legality of gay service in the military and the "don't ask, don't tell" policy have obscured this rich aspect of military history. Richard Burg has recovered important documents and assembled an anthology on these often invisible gay and lesbian warriors. Burg shows us that the Amazons of legend weren't just fictional. From courts-martial proceedings we discover women warriors who passed as men in order to serve, and army officers whose underground culture fostered long-term romantic friendships. This anthology will forever change the way we think about "gays in the military."--Publisher description.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references (p. 287-290) and index