From Perverts to Fab Five: The Media's Changing Depiction of Gay Men and Lesbians

by Rodger Streitmatter

 From "Perverts" to "Fab Five" tracks the dramatic change in how the American media have depicted gay people over the last half-century. Each chapter illuminates a particular media product that served as a milestone on the media's journey from demonizing homosexuals some fifty years ago to celebrating gay people--or at least some categories of gay people--today.

The media, Streitmatter argues, have not merely reflected the American public's shift to a more enlightened view of gay people, but they have been instrumental in propelling that change. The book spans the breadth of communication venues. Individual chapters focus on major news stories, entertainment television programs, and mainstream motion pictures that captured the public imagination while, at the same time, sending powerful messages about gay men and lesbians. Ideal for any reader interested in the changing depiction of gay men and lesbians in the media over time, or as required reading in media courses.

Genres: Nonfiction, LGBT, Gay

232 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2008

About the author

Rodger Streitmatter is a journalist and cultural historian whose work explores how the media have helped to shape American culture. He is currently a professor in the School of Communication at American University.

Reviews

[Cory · Rating 4 out of 5]

Streitmatter chronicles the evolving depiction of homosexuals from the 1950s "Perverts on the Potomac" scandal through the current debate around same-sex marriage. He argues that as a reform movement, the gay rights movement has progressed in the media through three stages: ridicule, reports with commentary, advocacy. For the most part he is on target, but hi analysis is flawed in the overly rosy picture he paints of gay rights in America. Overall, a good book, easy read, informative-even if bordering closer to polemic than true history.

[Ruby Hagan · Rating 3 out of 5]

felt my brain getting a bit bigger icl

[lauraღ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting and informative, to a point. The title specifies 'gay men and lesbians' and the author pretty much sticks to that, which makes it a flatter and less comprehensive book than it could have been. He admits in the last chapter that the book is lacking in content about bisexual and trans people because they are so overwhelmingly underrepresented in the media, which, true enough. I still thought there could have been more (especially with regard to trans women during Stonewall).

The writing wasn't too dense and kept me interested (I giggled in a good way every time he described such-and-such actor as hunky or cute, because it's just NICE to read nonfiction by someone who is also gay) and he put forward a couple interesting conclusions. The author had a weird way of saying things that made me want to fight him, then clarifying the point later down the road (like his belated statements on the racism in The Boys in the Band, which at first looked like he was applauding the film's 'diversity'). He did an okay job of trying to be inclusive when it came to women, though I feel like he didn't spend enough time on the fact that so much WLW content in media is still directed towards heterosexual men. Especially at the time of publishing.

All in all, I don't know, I wanted more. Still, not a terrible starting point.

[Lou · Rating 2 out of 5]

Too many repetitions and too little critical insight in my opinion, but an okay read if you are looking for some quite basic historical information on the topic written in easily accessible language

Merged review:

Too many repetitions and too little critical insight in my opinion, but an okay read if you are looking for some quite basic historical information on the topic written in easily accessible language.