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SWMS 425 (34960): Queer Los Angeles: Making History, Making Culture
Dr. Chris Freeman
Tuesday 2-4:50pm /Spring 2015 VKC 158
Office Hours: Tues/Thurs 8:45-9:30; Tues. 1-2 and by appt. Office: THH 410
“Gay Los Angeles is finally beginning to share its secrets.”
—Introduction, Love, West Hollywood
“The centrality of Los Angeles’s gay history to the country as a whole is hard to
overstate. . . . Los Angeles has been a vital place for the development of a national
gay consciousness, community, and civil rights movement.”—Daniel Hurewitz, LWH
About this Course
The summer of 2009 marked the 40th anniversary of what is often considered the birth of the modern GLBTQ rights movement: the Stonewall Riots in New York’s Greenwich Village. However, the earliest rumblings of a movement in the U.S. can be traced back to the late 1940s and early 1950s in Los Angeles, when a small number of people formed “homophile” groups.
The history of queer Los Angeles is integral to the queer history of the United States, but it is a story that continues to emerge. This seminar will look at various aspects of the birth of a movement—attempts to define what the movement was, which points to the complexities of identity politics; histories of the people, places, and events involved; the emergence of queer spaces and communities in this region, some of which—for example Metropolitan Community Church—have gone global; the roles of queer folk in the entertainment industry; the challenges of being a minority within a minority culture; the struggles of the AIDS crisis; and the contemporary fight for equality in the struggle for same-sex marriage and the controversy of Prop 8.
Our course will move forward in a chronological fashion, basically covering the last seventy-five or so years. We will expand our analysis to parameters well beyond Los Angeles for context and perspective. We will read histories, memoirs, essays, fiction, and poetry; we will watch documentaries and narrative films; we will use the resources of the ONE Institute on campus as well as other local archives; and we will have guest speakers to help us analyze, discuss, and understand the queer history and culture of Los Angeles, past, present, and future.
Our Contract
In accepting this syllabus and becoming a member of this class, each student agrees to attend class and to complete all assignments in a timely and serious fashion. You also affirm your commitment to the exploration of ideas in the liberal arts tradition, an exploration which is intellectual, creative, and respectful of others in the classroom. Your commitment to the quality and integrity of your work during the semester means that all work you hand in will be your own; any outside sources will be properly cited; and your work will be of the highest quality that you can produce. Plagiarism will have severe ramifications, and I will spot-check anything suspicious to ensure against it. If you have any questions about using outside sources, please ask me to help you.
As the instructor, my commitment to each student is that I have put considerable thought into developing this course; that I will work hard to invigorate and challenge you during the semester; that I will read your work carefully and with an open mind and will value it accordingly; that I will be prepared for class but that my agenda won’t get in the way of your input; and that I will be available to help you in your writing and thinking about the texts and issues we will be exploring.
Please note: Your Facebook status between the hours of 2 and 5pm on Tuesdays is “IN MY FAVORITE CLASS.” It is rude and annoying to be on FB or otherwise Tweeting, texting, IMing, or NOT focusing on the work at hand. Out of respect to your classmates and instructor (and to the generous souls who are paying for your education), please silence or turn off your electronic friends/devices and refrain from any behavior not directly related to SWMS 425 during our class time. ALSO, please check your email for messages and updates the evening before class. I will sometimes send you things to read or think about between class meetings; if you miss class, email me for an update.
About the Work
Your work will include coming to class prepared to discuss our assignments; keeping a journal; doing one shorter critical essay (5-7 pp; due week six); writing one longer research paper, which you will also present to class (8-10 pp; 10-15 minutes); and doing a take-home final exam assignment. We’ll work together to choose your writing topics. Research project presentations (of work in progress) will begin in week eleven and will involve an audiovisual component.
Grading
Shorter Critical Essay (5-7 pp.) 30% (due week six)
Longer Project/Presentation (8-10 pp; 10-12 minutes) 40%
Final Exam (take home, due by 4pm May 9th) 20%
Class Participation 10%
A: 930-1000; A-: 929-895; B+: 984-830; B-: 829-795; C+: 794-770, etc.
Texts
Lillian Faderman and Stuart Timmons, GAY LA (Basic Books, 2006)
Will Fellows and Helen Branson, GAY BAR (1957) (Wisconsin, 2010)—NOTE: Do not buy this book—I have copies to loan you.
Craig Loftin, Letters to ONE (SUNY, 2012)
Chris Freeman and James Berg, LOVE, WEST HOLLYWOOD (Alyson, 2008)
Tom De Simone et al, LAVENDER LOS ANGELES (Arcadia, 2011)
Jeanne Cordova, WHEN WE WERE OUTLAWS (Spinster’s Ink, 2011)
John D’Emilio, SEXUAL POLITICS, SEXUAL COMMUNITIES (1983) (Chicago, 1998)
Paul Monette, BORROWED TIME (HBJ, 1988)
Films
Celluloid Closet (Friedman and Epstein)
Chris and Don: A Love Story (Santi and Mascara)
On These Shoulders We Stand (McElhinney)
Changing Our Minds: The Story of Dr. Evelyn Hooker (Schmiechen)
Paul Monette: The Brink of Summer’s End (Bramer)
The Other Side (Cantillion)
Schedule (subject to change based on pacing of the course)
ONE: The Early Years—Pioneers and Growing Pains
Week One (1/13): Introductions/Backstory
Syllabus; introductions; discussion of how we do “queer history” and cultural history; screening of On These Shoulders We Stand
Week Two (1/20): The “Early Years” and Organizing
Mattachine; the Kinsey Report and Psychology; D’Emilio: preface and parts one and two; Gay LA, Ch. 1-3; Bohemian LA Ch. 1 & 2 (Blackboard); Lavender Ch. 1 & 2
Weeks Three (1/27) and Four (2/3): The 1950s: The Homophile Movement
GAY LA: Ch. 3-5; Love, WH: Intro, Hurewitz, Osborn, and Luckenbill; D’Emilio, part two, continued; Lavender, Ch. 3-5; Gay Bar; discuss essay one topics (due week six); Letters to ONE
Week Five (2/10): 1950s LA and Hollywood; Gaytino!
View Celluloid Closet on your own; excerpts from Mann; Gay LA: Ch. 6 and 7; Love, WH: Negron, Larson, and Boyd; Faderman, Naked excerpts; finish Gay Bar; possible guest speaker Dan Guerrero; Letters to ONE
Week Six (2/17): Local History at the ONE Institute
Visit ONE Archives; Lisa Ben interview (Blackboard); Letters to ONE; Gay LA: Ch. 8 and 9; one-on-one conferences scheduled for upcoming week; turn in essay one
TWO: Liberation and Civil Rights Movements/Identity Politics
Week Seven (2/24) and Eight (3/3): Into the 1960s
Isherwood; Chris and Don film; Lavender, Ch. 6 & 7; D’Emilio, par t three; Evelyn Hooker documentary and APA discussion; discuss Black Civil Rights and Women’s Rights movements; identity politics; possible guest speakers
Weeks Nine (3/10) and Ten (3/24): The Black Cat, Stonewall, and Gay Liberation into the 1970s (Spring break: no class 3/17)
Gay LA: Ch. 9 and 10; Love, WH: Cordova and Wolverton; excerpts on the Stonewall Riots (Blackboard); Cordova, When We Were Outlaws; possible Cordova visit
THREE: Political Power/Enemies/Crises
Week Eleven (3/31): The End of Gay Lib
D’Emilio, part four; discussion of Anita Bryant; Harvey Milk; Briggs Initiative; Love, WH: Wilde, Gaard, Wilson, Roach, and Healy; Presentations begin (4-5 per week)
Weeks Twelve (4/7) and Thirteen (4/14): The Plague Years—Community and Crisis
Read Monette and watch Brink of Summer’s End; Gay LA: Ch. 11; Love, WH: Timmons, Allison, Kearns, and Thompson; Possible Guest speakers: Michael Kearns/Mark Thompson/Monte Bramer; Presentations continue
FOUR: The 21st Century—The Way We Live Now
Week Fourteen (4/21): The Contemporary Queer Rights Movement/the “HRC” Era
Gay LA: Ch. 12 and epilogue; Love, WH: Podolsky, Miller, DeCrescenzo, Minns, and Warren; readings on Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell; DOMA, etc.; Presentations continue; possible screening of The Other Side with filmmaker Jane Cantillon
Week Fifteen (4/28): The Present/The Challenges Ahead
Love, WH: Eva S., Frontierhouse, Alexander, Lieberman, Ramirez, and Blumenstein on the Transgender community; readings on Prop 8; finish presentations; All work due this week; final exam assigned; course evaluations and wrap-up
Take-Home Final Exam due by 4pm on Thursday, May 7—email it to and title the document 425finallastname.doc
NOTES
§ Attendance is required and roll is taken daily. More than two unexcused absences will be reflected in your final course grade, forfeiting ALL class participation points
§ You MUST come to class having done your reading and prepared to DISCUSS the day’s reading assignment. BRING your texts to class—Underline and mark your copies with notes and tab passages that seem important to you; make notes about readings in your journal
§ Papers must be word-processed in 12-point font size, 1 inch margins, double-spaced, and stapled
§ Late papers/assignments will ONLY be accepted by pre-arrangement
§ Plagiarism will result in failure—work MUST be your own; it should be original. If you do research (including Google, etc.), please cite that within your essay and in references list
§ See above note about the final exam: attendance is REQUIRED
Research Topic Suggestions
The Kinsey Report and Implications
Harry Hay/Del Martin and Phyllis Lyon/Lisa Ben/Pioneers
ONE magazine/THE LADDER/Daughters of Bilitis
1960s Civil Disobedience/Civil Rights Movement
The Law/LAPD/Legal Status
Athletic Model Guild/Bob Mizer/erotica
John Rechy/Gore Vidal/etc.
Troy Perry/Metropolitan Community Church/Gays and Religion
Stonewall Riots/Black Cat Riot/Compton Café Riot
Christopher Street West/Pride
Lesbian and Gay Services Center
The Lavender Menace: Lesbians and the Feminist Movement
Woman’s Building/Lesbian-Feminist Separatism/Womyn’s movement
Southern California Women for Understanding
APA/Evelyn Hooker/Therapy
Kenneth Anger
The Advocate L.A/The Lesbian Tide
Gay Liberation Front
Studio One/early disco & bar scene
Gay and Lesbian Adolescent Social Services
AIDS Project Los Angeles (APLA)
Transgender Communities in LA
Dennis Cooper
People of Color in the LA Queer Community
Statement on Academic Conduct and Support Systems
Academic Conduct
Plagiarism – presenting someone else’s ideas as your own, either verbatim or recast in your own words – is a serious academic offense with serious consequences. Please familiarize yourself with the discussion of plagiarism in SCampus in Section 11, Behavior Violating University Standardshttps://scampus.usc.edu/1100-behavior-violating-university-standards-and-appropriate-sanctions/. Other forms of academic dishonesty are equally unacceptable. See additional information in SCampus and university policies on scientific misconduct, http://policy.usc.edu/scientific-misconduct/.
Discrimination, sexual assault, and harassment are not tolerated by the university. You are encouraged to report any incidents to the Office of Equity and Diversity http://equity.usc.edu/ or to the Department of Public Safety http://capsnet.usc.edu/department/department-public-safety/online-forms/contact-us. This is important for the safety whole USC community. Another member of the university community – such as a friend, classmate, advisor, or faculty member – can help initiate the report, or can initiate the report on behalf of another person. The Center for Women and Men http://www.usc.edu/student-affairs/cwm/ provides 24/7 confidential support, and the sexual assault resource center webpage describes reporting options and other resources.
Support Systems
A number of USC’s schools provide support for students who need help with scholarly writing. Check with your advisor or program staff to find out more. Students whose primary language is not English should check with the American Language Institute http://dornsife.usc.edu/ali, which sponsors courses and workshops specifically for international graduate students. The Office of Disability Services and Programs http://sait.usc.edu/academicsupport/centerprograms/dsp/home_index.htmlprovides certification for students with disabilities and helps arrange the relevant accommodations. If an officially declared emergency makes travel to campus infeasible, USC Emergency Information http://emergency.usc.edu/will provide safety and other updates, including ways in which instruction will be continued by means of blackboard, teleconferencing, and other technology.