Queer by Choice: Lesbians, Gay Men, and the Politics of Identity

This Book is Conservatively Graded in Acceptable Condition. The Softcovers have some Edgewear, including a Small Crease to the Top Fore Edge Corner of the Rear Cover, a Small Stain along the Bottom Edge of the Front Cover, and a Small, Light Stain at the Bottom Edge of the Rear Cover but No Tears or Other Major Damage. The Spine is Not Creased; the Binding is Strong, Intact, and Undamaged. The Interior is mostly Clean and Unmarked but has some Highlighting or Underlining and has a Small, Light Creases to the Top Fore Edge Corner of some Pages near the Rear Cover (corresponding to the Cover Crease) and Very Small, Very Light, and Barely Noticeable Stain at the Bottom Edge Page Margin of a Few Pages adjacent to the Covers but No Tears, Mold, or Other Major Damage. The Page Edges have a Small, Light Stain on the Bottom Edge but No Remainder Mark, Foxing, or Other Major Damage.
Book Description: Are lesbians and gays born? Or are they "made"—constructed by themselves and by their culture? Recent medical findings suggest that there might be a hereditary component to sexual identity, but actual experiences of choice and determination vary widely among gays and lesbians. Drawing on interviews with a diverse group of lesbians and gay men, Vera Whisman analyzes if, and to what extent, choice plays a role in determining sexuality. The answers are neither always clean nor always consistent, and they will have both positive and negative implications for gay men and lesbians as public debates on gender and sexuality escalate. The author finds that when public opinion privileges those whose sexual preference is determined and silences those who choose it, an exclusionary, male-dominated gay politics can result. As a response, we are asked to consider the possibility of chosen homosexuality as one way of making gay and lesbian political organizing more radical, democratic, and egalitarian. Queer by Choice enters the controversial debate of sexual identity by examining choice in gay men and lesbian sexual identity. Drawing on interviews with a sample of 72 people, Whisman analyzes if, and to what extent, choice played a role in determining identity. Contributing factors such as race, class, religion, and educational level are considered. The results of the study are stimulating and often surprising, and contribute to the escalating debates over sexual identity as lesbians and gays continue to soldier for rights and representation.