Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read.

Start by marking “Reviving the Tribe: Regenerating Gay Men's Sexuality and Culture in the Ongoing Epidemic” as Want to Read:

Other editions

Enlarge cover

Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

Open Preview

Reviving the Tribe: Regenerating Gay Men's Sexuality and Culture in the Ongoing Epidemic

Eric Rofes

4.36 · Rating details · 11 ratings · 0 reviews

Reviving the Tribe creates a rich and brutally honest portrait of contemporary gay men's lives amidst the seemingly endless AIDS epidemic and offers both autobiographical self-examination and a relentless critique of current sexual politics within the gay community. Fearlessly confronting the horrors experiences by surviving gay men without giving way to hopelessness, Reviving the Tribe creates a rich and brutally honest portrait of contemporary gay men's lives amidst the seemingly endless AIDS epidemic and offers both autobiographical self-examination and a relentless critique of current sexual politics within the gay community. Fearlessly confronting the horrors experiences by surviving gay men without giving way to hopelessness, denial, or blame, Reviving the Tribe offers an inspiring blueprint for the gay community which faces a continuing spiral of disaster.In Reviving the Tribe, Author Eric Rofes argues that a return to the interrupted agenda of gay liberation may provide long-term motivation to keep gay men alive and spur rejuvenation of new generations of gay culture. By interweaving social history, psychology, anthropology, epidemiology, sociology, feminist theory, and sexology with his own journey through the epidemic, Rofes provides a moving and compelling argument for stepping out of the "state of emergency" and embracing a life beyond disease. He boldly offers a plan for community regeneration focused on restoring mental health, reclaiming sexuality, and mending the social fabric of communal gay life. Rofes asks unspoken questions lurking in gay men's minds and suggests answers to these questions, hitting such controversial topics as:
gay men's sex cultures of the 1970s
why "educated" gay men continue to become HIV-infected
changing forms of gay masculinity
the opening of new sex clubs and bathhouses
leaving "rage activism" behind
links between the Holocaust and AIDS
unacknowledged roots in the feminist movement of gay men's AIDS response
mass denial of chronic trauma among gay menThe refusal to confront the ever-intensifying manifestations of AIDS has seriously endangered the foundation of contemporary gay communities. Rofes argues that many gay men suffer from the "disaster syndrome," a psychologically determined response that defends individuals against being overwhelmed by traumatic experience. In Reviving the Tribe, he provides a radical critique of contemporary gay political culture and suggests alternatives which offer the opportunity to face history, grapple with decimation, and regenerate communal life.Cautioning that an honest analysis of recent gay history and urban cultures promises neither to stop gay men's suffering nor to end continuing HIV infections, Reviving the Tribe provides gay men with a clear lens through which they might scrutinize their lives, come to a new understanding of the epidemic's impact on their generation, and redirect activism. This courageous and inspiring work brings Rofes'commanding intellect and twenty years of grassroots gay activism to bear on the challenging task of reconstructing gay life in the new mellennium. Reviving the Tribe is filled with insight of special interest to gay men, lesbians involved in the mixed lesbian/gay movement, sociologists, public health workers, psychologists, counselors, sex educators, religious leaders, and AIDS prevention policymakers searching for fresh vision. ...more

Get A Copy

Hardcover, 318 pages

Published December 14th 1995 by Routledge (first published 1995)

More Details... Edit Details

Friend Reviews

To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.

Reader Q&A

To ask other readers questions about Reviving the Tribe, please sign up.

Be the first to ask a question about Reviving the Tribe

Lists with This Book

This book is not yet featured on Listopia. Add this book to your favorite list »

Community Reviews

Showing 1-32

Average rating 4.36 ·

Rating details

· 11 ratings · 0 reviews

More filters

Sort order

Start your review of Reviving the Tribe: Regenerating Gay Men's Sexuality and Culture in the Ongoing Epidemic

Karen rated it it was amazing
Nov 08, 2014

Dave Lindley rated it really liked it
Feb 06, 2020

Chris Bartlett rated it it was amazing
Jul 07, 2012

arthur rated it liked it
Mar 23, 2008

David Dumonde rated it really liked it
Jun 08, 2011

Qwo-Li rated it liked it
Mar 27, 2008

Shawn Syms rated it it was amazing
Apr 06, 2012

Harrison Brace rated it it was amazing
Jul 16, 2014

Nick rated it really liked it
Mar 22, 2009

Ezra rated it it was amazing
Mar 26, 2008

Craig Bowers rated it it was amazing
Aug 15, 2014

Okapi Akimbo marked it as to-read
Jan 19, 2011

Center for Sex & Culture Library + Archives added it
Oct 31, 2011

Riley is currently reading it
Aug 29, 2012

Raymond added it
Nov 29, 2012

Cheri added it
Mar 31, 2013

John marked it as to-read
Nov 21, 2013

Scott Smith-mccurdy marked it as to-read
Nov 23, 2013

Charles Haynes marked it as to-read
Nov 24, 2013

Jason Jenkins marked it as to-read
Dec 07, 2013

Chase marked it as to-read
May 13, 2014

Gay City LGBTQ Library added it
Apr 20, 2014

Kyle Doyle marked it as to-read
Jan 19, 2015

Marc marked it as to-read
Jan 12, 2016

Megan marked it as to-read
Jan 10, 2017

Alice marked it as to-read
Jan 11, 2017

Athen Zachary marked it as to-read
Jan 20, 2017

Highlyeccentric added it
Jan 24, 2017

Sassafras Lowrey marked it as to-read
Feb 17, 2017

Aceso Under Glass marked it as to-read
Mar 11, 2017

Atom marked it as to-read
Apr 29, 2017

Stian marked it as to-read
May 08, 2017

new topic
Discuss This Book

There are no discussion topics on this book yet. Be the first to start one »

Recommend It | Stats | Recent Status Updates

Genres

LGBT

3 users

Nonfiction

2 users

GLBT > Queer

2 users

LGBT > Gay

2 users

Health

1 user

See top shelves…

About Eric Rofes

Eric Rofes

1 follower

Eric Rofes was an author, educator, and social justice activist who worked on a wide range of political issues including: equitable access to public education; gay men's health; marriage equality; sexual freedom; racial, economic and environmental justice.

During his lifetime of activism, Eric Rofes founded the Boston Lesbian & Gay Political Alliance, served as the Executive Director of the Los ...more