How the Homosexuals Saved Civilization: The Time and Heroic Story of How Gay Men Shaped the Modern World

by Cathy Crimmins

A cultural history of the customs, fashions, and figures of gay life in the twentieth and the early twenty-first centuries-and how they have changed us for the better. How the Homosexuals Saved Civilization presents a broad yet incisive look at how an unusual "immigrant" group, homosexual men, has influenced mainstream American society and has, in many ways, become mainstream itself. From the way camp, irony, and the gay aesthetic have become part of our national sensibility to the undeniable effect the gay cognoscenti have had on media and the arts, Cathy Crimmins examines how gay men have changed the concepts of community, family, sex, and fashion.  

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Gay, Queer, LGBT, Historical, Humor

240 pages, Paperback

First published June 2, 2004

About the author

(aka C.E. Crimmins)

Obituaries:
http://www.asja.org/newspub/x0911d.php
http://www.oliverbair.net/sitemaker/s...

Reviews

[Sarah · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is a very problematic book.



The author uses historical and pop cultural examples to argue that gay men have made the world a better place. And this frantic attempt at back patting, she strips all the context and controversy from queer life. Circuit parties are not rife with dangerous unprotected sex, they are just the legacy of Capote's black and white ball! Gentrification is great! And women (queer or straight) don't impact culture, apparently we're just invisible and gay men created everything good about the gay community on their own. All the racism and sexism and classism that is endemic in the queer community is whitewashed for some feel good examples of great things that a handful of white gay men have done.



You might enjoy this book if you know nothing about queer culture and want to learn a little. But if you already know much of the back story, you'll find little to celebrate in this sanitized version of history.

[Jo · Rating 3 out of 5]

1/7, about fifty pages in. Not terribly convinced of its accuracy, but this book makes an excellent pick-me-up. Particularly for any queer who feels slighted, that we've been pushed to the edges of society, forced into hiding. No real effect, always forced to act within straight norms.

1/29, done.

In response to the adage "Ginger Rodgers did everything Fred Astaire did but backwards and in high heels," Crimmins responds that "Homosexuals did everything with great style and panache, and they did a lot of it in tiny closets with no lights, and sometimes while fearing for their lives." (213)

That basically sums up the tone of this book. Society was influenced by gay men who were nothing but fabulous even while facing severs disadvantages.
It is nice to point out gay influence--that designer, that artist, that author. It's a kind of backhanded respect, the acknowledgment that the majority likes us (and our work) much more than they think they do. It's nice to think these things when you're feeling alone and filled with an overwhelming sense that nothing you do could possibly matter.
That being said, this book makes incredibly broad statements while having a narrow focus. The volume isn't about 'homosexuals', it's about a specific type of gay man. To really enjoy this book, you have to excuse that.

[E. Rickert · Rating 1 out of 5]

HOW THE HOMOS SAVED CIVILIZATION is a dated tutorial for Baby Boomers on how gay men speak, act, eat, drink, dress, and exhibit their sexuality in non-sexual ways. It was published when Will & Grace was gasping for breath. Like that show it is totally, utterly, miserably--truly, madly, deeply--devoid of sexuality.

I may give a copy to my mother at Xmas.

It details the neutered influence of gay men on our culture, and in that way is totally out of step with the contemporary idea of gayness dominated by gay marriage and Truvada whores. Of course this book reads as out of sync and foreign: it's written by a fruit fly.

The topic deserves a proper academic unpacking. This is not it.

One star cuz apparently it was exhausting to write. Cool story, bro. I always appreciate a commitment to sparkle motion.

#realtalk: I really hate being lumped into the misnomer "the homosexuals." The homosexuals? Nast. What a horrible way to qualify an object.

#realtalk: I got it for 20 cents at my local indie bookstore because I'm looking for an easy breezy beach read. Like Jay Z and Drizzy said before me, "ON TO THE NEXT ONE"

[Megan · Rating 1 out of 5]

Just a load of white, American gay stereotypes with no discussion of the cultural context underlying them or the mechanisms by which they’ve impacted mainstream western culture. The author’s work has no founding in research, either her own or anyone else’s—she didn’t even check the spelling of names or the accuracy of lyrics she quoted!

Her assertions are entirely anecdotal—observations of gay culture made by a straight, white woman. She didn’t even interview anybody from the LGBT+ community in writing this book, just took it upon herself to decide what the foundations of gay culture were. She outright dismisses the contributions of lesbians and bisexuals and makes no effort to investigate the cultural influences of LGBT+ people of colour, even going as far as to claim certain black cultural contributions for the gays and write the blacks out.

What would have made a great book: if the author had researched the cultural origins of the stereotypes, references, and influences she identifies; interviewed members of the LGBT community regarding the meaning and impact of those cultural artifacts; then drawn a path through history from the origins of those contributions to their success in the cultural mainstream today. But as the book is, I learned almost nothing and I left displeased.

[Linnea Arneson · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was really disappointing. I guess you shouldn't judge a book by its title or subtitle. Because it should have been called "How the 20th Century White Male Homosexuals Influenced American Consumer Culture and the Media: How Gay Men Made Everything from Movies to Fashion Fabulous and Swishy." But I guess that wouldn't have really caught on.
It addressed the problem of stereotyping in gay culture by acknowledging that they exist, that they are not always true, and saying, basically: "Yeah, it's pretty much true, but hey, at least it's a good stereotype." The oldest reference I found was the required nod to Oscar Wilde (so ten years removed from the 20th century; hmm I thought civilization was a lot older than that) who is one of my favorite favorite writers, and what does this author have to say? How much his priceless wit exemplifies "gay sassiness." Arrrgh!!!!
And then try to read chapter after chapter about how gay people - oh wait, I mean men, it's not like lesbians or straight women are important at all (I should have put the book down after the author said that in the first chapter) - have been soooo totally important in language, food, TV, music, movies, and musical theater (does anyone really need to write a book about how homosexuals influenced The Rocky Horror Picture Show?)
I guess for a title such as "Saving Civilization" I thought there would be more actual history and stuff. While I am fascinated that a gay man invented deviled eggs and I do love them, would civilization really be lost without deviled eggs? And yet it doesn't even mention Alan Turing, the gay man who pretty much invented computer science and artificial intelligence, without which civilization really would be lost. Or saved, depending on your perspective on technology. I guess CS is sooooo nerdy and doesn't fit in with the stylish swishy stereotype she's trying to cultivate.
I guess I'm not really the intended audience for this book, but it makes me wonder: who is? I'm pretty sure gay men would find it as stereotyping as I did. Straight women, maybe, seeing as the author is a self-identified "fag-hag", and the book contains a lot of swooning-over-Rock-Hudson stuff. Hey, maybe it's just because I don't swoon over Rock Hudson that I didn't like it. And that I don't care about fashion. Or movies. Or whether or not there's any freaking homosexual subtext in a movie. A cigar is just a cigar, people. To quote (roughly) Dan Savage "Gay isn't good or bad. It's just gay."

[JC Roes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excelente libro en el que conocemos mucho más acerca del impacto que ha tenido la comunidad gay en diferentes ámbitos de la sociedad a lo largo de los años. La manera en la que lograron modificar conceptos como moda, arte, sexo, familia, entretenimiento, etc. La autora celebra a las diferentes personalidades gay y los distintos sucesos que han marcado la cultura pop que hoy se encuentra tan presente en la sociedad, al mismo tiempo que a través de la irreverencia, la información y una narrativa atinada demuestra a los lectores cómo hasta la comida que se llevan a la boca, la ropa que utilizan o la música que escuchan encuentran su base gracias a la mente de personas homosexuales que cambiaron (y siguen cambiando) por completo la historia social, comercial y hasta política de nuestro planeta. Muy recomendable.

[Steven Ondrashek · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'll start out by reminding myself that this book was written more than 15 years ago and seems to have been a more hopeful time than we are now in. The author does a nice job of pointing out areas where gay men appear to excel. She says at the outset that she will not be talking about lesbian, bisexual or transgender folks. This is just about gay men. Glad I know this up front. She mentions several times about breaking stereotypes, but goes on to reinforce those same stereotypes. The gay male interior decorator, florist, actor, musician. We enjoy Broadway musicals, refined food and always throw great parties. I feel alienated. While I identify as gay, I know nothing of interior design, floral decorating and my parties, when I have them, are pretty uneventful at best or just plain bad. I do enjoy fine food, drink and art, but so do lots of other non-gay people. She mentions that gay men have more disposable income to travel and maintain other pursuits because fewer of us have children. But so do all sorts of adults that choose not to have children. And what of their contribution to culture? I question outing celebrities who have died. A combination of who cares and let them have their peace and privacy. If they are/were out, then that's fine but following the rumor mill or hearsay may not be appropriate. In the title, she writes "Homosexuals." I bristle a little since we are but few of us actually use this label. It's been a derisive term for so long and has yet to be reclaimed. On the flip side, it is nice to have nice things said about our community and boy, do we need allies right now! It was a short read but felt like some things could have been done differently.

[Thomas Carver · Rating 2 out of 5]

I rarely give books reviews under three stars (if I don't like it, I don't review it) but I give this one two stars because it's more complicated than that. I didn't like this book; I thought it was offensive, in ways it never intended to be. It focused on superficiality, on surfaces and trivialities. How did homosexuals save civilization? This book is more concerned with celebrities and glitz than anything else. As if we were not fundamental to the war effort in WWII, as if we did not invent computers, as if queer people were not fundamental to the space race.

I don't like this book, but I think people should read it. This book represents the wedge in the crack that allowed gay people (though not, perhaps, queer people, not yet) to be seen as people, deserving of rights. We were useful, at least, and that gave us a claim to rights. Sadly, our use was cosmetic, not fundamental, at least in this author's view. So read it, but perhaps with a bit of bitterness.

[Liz · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book brings up some interesting things to think about. Most of the evidence in here, though, comes from the personal experience of the author, who is not a gay man but reassures us that she has a lot of gay men friends. Read it if you want to get some ideas of things to read about elsewhere.

[Maureen Berry · Rating 1 out of 5]

Did not like this book at all. Perhaps if It had a different title as It is not how the homosexuals saved civilization but more how the author perceives and discusses gays in her own little world and what they think of things like fashion and theater. Skip this book

[Michael Andersen-Andrade · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book supports what I've always thought, that gays are an enlightened people who make great contributions to our culture.

[Erin Winders]

Didn’t make it past the prologue because wdym lesbian women aren’t talked about at all in this book? I guess it’s a product of its publication date (2005)

[Kyle Likens · Rating 1 out of 5]

What in the hell did i just read? Was this a serious text of the fabulousness of being gay or a pitiful satire of the entire gay culture/universe seen through the eyes of a well intentioned, yet sorely misguided straight woman? 3/4ths of the book was nothing but a horrible mishmash of cliches and worn out stereotypes, while the remaining 1/4 was truly useless exposition of the glory of being a homosexual.

As a gay man in his thirties, i appreciate the author's attempt to placate and pacify a very fickle & particular segment of gay men. But this book did nothing, absolutely nothing, to go further into the context of what it means to be a homosexual in contemporary civilization.

WE ARE ALL NOT THE SAME.

[S.t. · Rating 2 out of 5]

The tone of this book is sassy and at times a bit mean.

I think the author could have been less cheeky and it would have made a stronger case for the thesis. As it was, the points didn't seem strong enough and it seemed a bit shallow and thin. Still, given the fact that it was written almost ten years ago, the author did make some interesting point.

I had other problems with it, including some egregious errors. Elton John is not a lyricist being one.

It read to me like the author was chatting at a cocktail party and decided to write a book. I will give her credit for even being brave enough to make the case, but it desperately needs revisited by a new edition.

[Ryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fantastic and hilarious insight into the history of recent 'straight' America and how gay people (primarily men) have changed things without anyone really realizing it. I already was aware of many of these influences, though there were quite a few that were interesting to read about. What mostly made this book enjoyable was the lighthearted joking tone that the author maintained throughout the exploration of gay mens' impact on modern America. It talks about nearly everything, from food to television to property values, and gives an insight into a world that has slowly been morphing into something with more class, more variety, and more culture, without even realizing it.

[Wellington · Rating 3 out of 5]

The cover of the book caught my attention. Who has the guts to give a title of a book like that?

I burned through the book in one evening. If one looks hard enough at history ... looking hard for homosexual influence, you will find homosexual influence. In the middle of the book, she made a great leap in pronouncing homosexual influence when a confirmed heterosexual does a homosexual activity. Homosexual activity seemed to be defined (over) broadly as anything artistic ....

Quaint book but nothing really special.

[deanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

This only moderately tongue-in-cheek book takes a look at the ways that gay men have helped make our culture what it is. I especially enjoyed the parts that focused on language and on the ways in which gay culture has influenced how we speak and the evolution of slang and other informal language.

I was suprised how many things we take for granted began as a part of a culture many straight people assume is on the fringe. . .turns out it's more like these guys are on the forefront.

[Broodingferret · Rating 3 out of 5]

While entertaining, this book wasn't too terribly informative. This is a good book for anyone looking for a super-simple intro to queer culture and its impact on mainstream culture. Also, Crimmins intentionally paints herself as a stereotypical fag hag who views the entirety of the gay male community through rose-tinted glasses, which I typically find annoying. Still, she has a quick wit, so it was fairly entertaining to read.

[Ellie]

On the one hand, this book is brilliant - it's about time a cultural studies book acknowledged GLBT people as a culture. On the other hand, I found it vaguely disturbing, the way everything must be attributed to a man, including straight women’s culture. Crimmins quotes Robert Clark from The Solace of Food: A Life of James Beard, “Helen would often say to James, ‘as usual, the boys win.’” That quote really sums up this book.

[David Jedeikin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute, if a bit lighthearted, chronicling of how elements of gay culture have infused their way into the broader mainstream, oftentimes without the broader mainstream having any idea (Liberace, anyone?). I would have preferred a bit more of a deep-dive into notions of upending sexual mores and the perspective granted by those who feel free to do so, but since this isn't an academic treatise I suppose that's forgivable. All in all, a clever little expose.

[Richard · Rating 2 out of 5]

I know a rule of criticism is never to blame a work for what it isn't, but I would have liked this so much better if it had been more scholarly and less light in tone. The idea is fascinating--she treats gay people not as a sexual orientation that pops up here and there, but instead, semi-joking, but also seriously, as an "immigrabt group" in her own words. An engaging enough writing style, but so disappointing, and rife with minor errors. I'd give it one and a half if that were an option.

[Thom · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book examines a number of sciological phenomena surrounding gay men and 'in' culture. From the popularization of vodka-based drinks to broadway, show business, marketing, home design, and the emergence of male beauty, the gays have had their manicured hands in it.

[Derek Oberg · Rating 3 out of 5]

Definitely skewed to find these equivalencies where she wants to find them, but mostly it works. Some of the chapters are amazing. I really liked the chapter on "gay" vocabulary and how it has permeated our culture in general.

[Ginger · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not as good as I was hoping it would be.

[Marla]

Very witty. So sorry to hear she died recently! I learned a lot from this, though she's definitely reaching with some of her conclusions, such as who invented deviled eggs at picnics.

[William Ramsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute, pop academia.

[Roger · Rating 3 out of 5]

Far from perfect but still interesting and a positive view at the contributions of people who were often closeted

[Austin Rose · Rating 1 out of 5]

Such a STRANGE book coming from a straight woman and why does she use the clinical term 'homosexual' so much? A few interesting tidbits but I rolled my eyes through most of it.