Gay Sydney: A History

by Garry Wotherspoon

Garry Wotherspoon’s Gay A history is an updated version of his 1991 classic, City of the History of a Gay Sub-culture, written in the midst of the AIDS crisis. In this vivid book Wotherspoon traces the shifts that have occurred since then, including majority support for marriage equality and anti-discrimination legislation. He also ponders the parallel evaporation of a distinctly gay sensibility and the disappearance of once-packed gay bars that have now become cafes and gyms. This book also tells the story of gay Sydney across a century, looking at secret, underground gay life, the never-ending debates about sex in society and the role of social movements in the ’60 and ’70s in effecting social change. ‘The original and the best.’ DAVID MARR

Genres: Australia, Nonfiction, History, LGBT

375 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 1, 2016

Reviews

[Anthony VENN-BROWN OAM · Rating 5 out of 5]

History is so important. It adds much to our lives giving us understanding about context, meaning and culture. This is what makes “Gay Sydney – a history” by Garry Wotherspoon such an important contribution.

I think every young LGBT person should read it. I’m sure they will find our rich history, going back to colonial days through to our current challenges of marriage equality, mental and physical health and racism in our community, most enlightening if not revelationary.

As Wotherspoon reveals, Sydney has always been a gay city. A very gay city in fact, despite the threats of death, imprisonment , violence and law enforcement committed to wiping out the ‘perverts’ and homosexual ‘menace’. You can’t help but be proud of our heritage and resilience to survive.

Being an author myself, I can appreciate the hours and hours of dedicated work the author has put in to creating this work. It is incredibly well researched and documented. The authors insights along the way are not intrusive but helpful. It is certainly not a dull, research project or history book. The authors style is very readable and I would say accessible to the average reader.

After revealing many decades of struggle by a clandestine community of colourful individuals and finally rising to the giddy heights of more venues and activities than one could cover in one night on Oxford Street in the 80’s and 90’s one is left wondering…..what happened. Andrew Sullivan’s quote at the beginning of the book is relevant.

“Slowly but unmistakeably, gay culture is ending…..For many in the gay world this is both a triumph and a threat. It is a triumph because it is what we always dreamed of: a world in which being gay is a nonissue among our families, friends and neighbours. But it is a threat in the way all loss is a threat”

The author allows us to come to our own conclusions.

Maybe the younger generation shouldn’t read this. It might make them realise just how visible and prolific our community was at one time on a daily and weekly basis and not once a year at Mardi Gras….or is it only people like myself and others who think we lived in best days of Gay Sydney.

You’ll have to read Gay Sydney to draw your own conclusions. If nothing else you’ll be more informed than the average LGBT person about what it has taken to get us to where we are today. You’ll be grateful for the knowledge.

[Malcolm McPherson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Garry Wotherspoon's history of gay Sydney is a well written account of Sydney's gay world over a period of dramatic change. The book largely ignores the history before the twentieth century. An exploration of Sydney's convict history and the impact that that had on Sydney's later social and cultural life and especially on its homophobic underbelly would be interesting. However, the scope is broad enough as it is. It is the history of Garry's city as it is of my city. His comments on the meaning and impact on him never intrude but always add a personal note of value.
I particularly liked his comment on the case of Philip Leung who was tried three times for the death of his partner in 2007. Leung was finally released from jail at the end of 2014. Could this 'triple jeopardy' be attributable to persistent homophobia in the police and judicial system?
"Perhaps today, the younger generation has no past from which to flee; they live in a world of freedoms, and presume they are unassailable, while we older men, who remember - with anger, rage or sadness - the world we grew up in and fought to change, know that nothing need be permanent.
And so the Leung case stands as a warning."

[Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent, thoroughly researched and well written. Wotherspoon inserts just enough of his own narrative, but never loses focus on his historical aims.

[Colin Ellis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this a very interesting read. Not coming from Australia but migrating here I had missed out on the earlier challenges faced by LGBTIQ+ individuals, their partners and families. I would recommend this to both LGBTIQ+ and allies to gain an understanding of our past and the challenges faced over the years. It would also be useful for health professionals to read to gain an understanding of patients/clients, particularly those who are elderly and lived through the many changes both negative and positive. Those working in aged care would find this a very useful text, especially those working with those living with dementia, or who could be grieving.

[Ali · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a solid history of gay men in Sydney, with the recent chapters perhaps the most engaging (if a little ranty right at the end). There's a lot of broader context which works for those with less general history of Sydney. I do think it could have used, some, even if brief, discussion of queer women, but within its scope it does the job.

[Monica · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was exclusively a history of gay male Sydney - reading seemed like it did not occur to the author that lesbians existed at all. Very disappointing.

[Jarrod Haynes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic book! I was not expecting it to be this thorough and academic.