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Coming Out Under Fire: The History of Gay Men and Women in World War Two
by Allan Bérubé | History
Registered by wingVashawing of Ithaca, New York USA on Friday, June 15, 2007
Average 8 star rating by BookCrossing Members 

status (set by Vasha): permanent collection


3 journalers for this copy...

Journal Entry 1 by wingVashawing from Ithaca, New York USA on Friday, June 15, 2007

9 out of 10

Someone recommended this to me -- wish I could remember who.

Coming Out Under Fire is a thoroughly fascinating, detailed study of a crucial transitional period in American society. It's extremely well-documented throughout, and although the author's style might be considered dry, the pages come to life because of the words and lives of the people portrayed. Berube really did a great job of finding and putting together diverse material, and the quotes from the people he interviewed are always illuminating.

Besides the story of how gay soldiers tried to make a place for themselves in the army, find each other, and survive hostility, this book is illuminating as to a shift in social attitudes that was largely started off by the psychiatric profession. Psychiatrists, by trying to shift the military procedures from criminalization of sex acts to the medical handling of "latent" or "confirmed" homosexuals, began (whether they realized it or not) to create the basis for recognizing the homosexual person as a problem, independent of what they did. In a hostile society, this could lead to a person's positive achievements being entirely discounted. Some (a few) psychiatrists started with the idea that homosexuality was a personality trait that didn't necessarily cause any problems, and ironically, a few who were tasked with interviewing large numbers of soldiers for discharge came to that conclusion -- their completely ineffective protests against the army's punitive attitude were some of the earliest defenses of homosexuality in the US.

Gay soldiers often came out of the war with a better sense of themselves as gay, whether because of the chance that cameraderie had given them to feel "normal", because of meeting many others like themselves, or precisely because of the segregation and discrimination imposed on them if they were caught up in anti-homosexuality policies. Challenging their undesirable discharges encouraged some to speak up for themselves, as did the experience of those who went home unwilling to hide their new sense of themselves. For the first time, they began to think of themselves as a minority and speak in terms of rights and justice. The controversy over blue discharges even led to public discussion that was not always unsympathetic to homosexuals. This was a remarkable transitional period before the hysterically conformist crackdown of the fifties.

This book gave me a new perspective on a decade of American history that I had wrongly thought familiar, and made for a vivid picture of the social life of the people concerned. 

Journal Entry 2 by wingVashawing at Bookring to next reader, --by post or by hand (ie ring, ray, RABCK, trade) -- Controlled Releases on Monday, March 01, 2010

This book has not been rated.

Released 2 yrs ago (3/1/2010 UTC) at Bookring to next reader, --by post or by hand (ie ring, ray, RABCK, trade) -- Controlled Releases

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In transit. 

Journal Entry 3 by wingGoryDetailswing from Nashua, New Hampshire USA on Sunday, March 07, 2010

8 out of 10

Got the book, thanks! If there's still no bookray interest by the time I've finished it I'll find another way to pass it along...

Later: Fascinating book, and often surprising (in good ways as well as sad or infuriating ones). The mental gymnastics undertaken by the forces that wanted to quash homosexuality were impressive - gays couldn't be soldiers because they were effeminate sissies, but tough he-men who had proven themselves in battle had to be dropped from the force once they were known to be gay, because it would be bad for morale, or something. And heaven forbid that an effeminate lad should turn out to be an ace soldier; you get the idea that some people's heads would explode at the very idea. It'd be funny if it hadn't caused (and continues to cause) so much injustice.

Another brain-twister involved the whole "security" issue; gays were a liability because they could be blackmailed about their lifestyle, but the only reason they could be blackmailed was because they knew they'd be drummed out of the corps if it came out. Sigh. [The could-be-blackmailed bit was one of the plot elements of the novel Advise and Consent, and was treated with surprising sympathy - for a book published in 1959, anyway.]

It was reassuring to read the accounts of many gay people who managed to serve their country and, one way or another, lead the lives they wanted to lead. And there were accounts of considerable sympathy and understanding by the straight soldiers for their gay comrades. And I appreciated the author's note on the source material, which in itself gives some perspective on the way the military marginalized gay people. Thanks for sharing this book! 

Journal Entry 4 by wingGoryDetailswing at Nashua, New Hampshire USA on Monday, April 05, 2010

This book has not been rated.

Released 2 yrs ago (4/5/2010 UTC) at Nashua, New Hampshire USA

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The book's on its way to BCer sarradee in Texas, to continue the bookring. [It's a very short ring, but that's OK {grin}.] Enjoy! 

Journal Entry 5 by sarradee from Dallas, Texas USA on Friday, April 09, 2010

This book has not been rated.

Better a small bookring, than none at all. :) Thank you both for sharing this book with me. I'm in the middle of one right now and will start Coming Out as soon as I'm done. 

Journal Entry 6 by sarradee from Dallas, Texas USA on Tuesday, April 27, 2010

This book has not been rated.

This book was fascinating and thought provoking. The writing style was somewhat dry and a little repetitive as is the nature of a non-fiction study. The author did an excellent job collecting source material from the people involved and didn't have to rely solely on statistics and case files.

Homosexuality in the military has always been a controversial topic. Mainly because the military assumes that sexual orientation in some way reflects on ability to carry out the necessary functions of a soldier. Soldiers that were discovered to be gay or lesbian were harassed and dishonorably discharged despite months or years of faithful service. Even today the military embraces a policy of non-acceptance.

Since it doesn't look like anyone else has been added onto the ring I'll be returning the book to Vasha in the next couple of days. Thank you for sharing.

Will be mailing 4/30. Edelivery confirmation 420148509102150134711149783256 

Journal Entry 7 by wingVashawing from Ithaca, New York USA on Friday, May 07, 2010

This book has not been rated.

Back on my shelf. 



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