Question

in the 19th century, it was generally believed that homosexual men were effeminate and could only be attracted to

Answer 1

In the 19th century, homosexual men were seen as effeminate and their attraction was believed to be toward other effeminate men. Heterosexuality was an assumed norm, and masculine men who engaged in homosexual acts without exhibiting effeminate behavior were often not labeled as homosexual.

Step-by-step explanation:

In the 19th century, there was a stereotypical belief that homosexual men were inherently effeminate and their sexual attraction was only towards other effeminate men, often categorized as “deviants” or “fairies”. This was a time when the concept of heterosexuality as a distinct category did not exist, and the assumption was that men would naturally be attracted to women. Consequently, effeminacy in men was linked with homosexuality, and those men expressing such traits were marginalized, while those who committed homosexual acts but maintained their masculine roles and appearances were not necessarily seen as homosexual.

By the late 19th century, however, homosexuality began to be viewed as both a sin and a mental illness, and false stereotypes associating gay men with pedophilia emerged, leading to increased societal stigma and secrecy among the LGBTQ community. Despite this, there were complexities in the societal understanding of sexuality; in certain environments like the military or mining camps, the hypermasculine ethos allowed for sexual acts between men without the need to label one's sexual orientation, as long as effeminate behavior was not shown. These men could maintain their masculinity by projecting homosexual urges onto a male sex partner without being categorized as homosexual themselves.

The post-World War II and Cold War eras saw even harsher repercussions for those identified as homosexual, such as job loss and blackmail threats, leading to a period known as the Lavender Scare. This climate of fear and distrust wrongly associated homosexuality with moral and emotional weakness, making it difficult for gay men and women to live openly and honestly without risking their safety or livelihoods.

Answer 2

In the 19th century, homosexual men were erroneously viewed as effeminate, influenced by psychiatric assumptions, and often had to live closeted lives due to societal discrimination. The Lavender Scare further heightened discrimination during the Cold War era, leading to job losses and more secrecy among the LGBTQ community.

• In the 19th century, prevalent beliefs about homosexuality were deeply rooted in societal expectations and misconceptions.
• Homosexual men were often stereotypically viewed as effeminate; this view was reinforced by psychiatrists and physicians who assumed gay men to have feminine brains.
• Men could engage in homosexual acts as long as they did not exhibit these effeminate traits, thus avoiding the label of homosexuality.
• Psychiatric literature of that time labeled homosexuality a mental disorder and perpetuated stereotypes that linked gay men erroneously to pedophilia.
• Consequently, this led to the LGBTQ community living 'closeted' lives due to the legal and social sanctions against homosexuality.
• During World War II and the ensuing Cold War era, particularly in the 1950s, an increased fear of homosexuality led to the federal government viewing gay men as security risks, susceptible to blackmail, which resulted in job losses and further discrimination.
• Known as the Lavender Scare, this period saw heightened efforts to purge homosexuals from government positions due to the belief that their personal lives indicated a lack of moral fiber.
• Nevertheless, homosexual men and women sought to create safe spaces with coded language and behavior to freely express their identities in private.