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Beyond the Closet? The Changing Social Meaning of Homosexuality in the United States

Bibliographic Data

ID18978331
AuthorsSteven Seidman (State University of New York at Albany, corresponding author), Chet Meeks (State University of New York at Albany), Francie Traschen (State University of New York at Albany)
Year1999
Volume2
Issue1
Pages9-34
Publication date1999-02-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueSexualities (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1363-4607 • E-ISSN: 1461-7382
PublisherSAGE Publications (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1177/136346099002001002
OpenAlexW2133718629
LanguageEN
Citations received106
References cited12

Drawing on interviews, this article rethinks both the core ideas of gay culture and the contemporary texture of gay life. We argue that the categories of the closet, coming out, and a primary gay identity are linked to specific historical conditions. Specifically, the lives of many gay Americans have been normalized, even if incompletely, and thus are `beyond the closet'. This article examines the change in the texture of gay life today and the implications of this change for gay identity, community and politics

Aesthetics · Art · Closet · Coming out · Gay rights · Homosexuality · Human sexuality · Lesbian · Male Homosexuality · Political science · Politics · Sexual identity · Sociology · African Sexualities and LGBTQ+ Issues · Gender Studies · History · Latin American and Latino Studies · Law · LGBTQ Health, Identity, and Policy · Psychology

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Unique citing works106
Citations per year3,93
Citation span1999 - 2026 (28)
Citation velocitycurrent
Highly citedYes
Citation typesNeutral: 104
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