The Deviant’s War –Eric Cervini
100-Word (or Less) Synopsis: A sweeping and detailed account of the first efforts to formally organize the gay rights movement in the 1950s and 1960s, primarily lobbying against a formidable foe: the United States federal government and its discriminatory hiring and firing practices.
Expectation: An in-depth review of the early steps towards equality for LGBTQ+ Americans anchored by the personal experiences of its defacto leader, Dr. Frank Kameny.
Reality: Well-written and researched but a lot of detail that becomes somewhat repetitive.
Recommended For: Fans of American history, and specifically, LGBTQ+ history.
Why I Read It: It is completely in my wheelhouse when it comes to nonfiction books: microhistory with broader society implications, declassified records, legal battles, civil rights and queer history. Plus, it was history making itself, becoming the first LGBTQ+ history book on The New York Times bestseller list in 27 years.
My take:
At nearly 500-pages, and spanning the 1950s to 2019, it is impossible to summarize the amount of ground covered by Eric Cervini in “The Deviant’s War.”
First, Cervini is a talented writer and researcher, and this is a phenomenal debut. He writes with an accessible style that expertly weaves emotion into fact. You don’t lose the humanity of the central characters, and you also don’t feel like you’re being fed a skewed version of the history.
He could easily build a career like Erik Larson, but Cervini – like Larson and many other nonfiction authors – needs to learn to trim the fat or risk the narrative becoming repetitive, as it does here in the middle.
As it relates to Dr. Frank Kameny, the main character, so to speak, it’s complicated.
As gay Americans, we undoubtedly owe a debt of gratitude for the sacrifices he made personally and professionally. But, his focus on federal government employment was myopic (and personal), and potentially stalled the cause.
Kameny was visible and outspoken but demanded high standards for all those affiliated with him. This led to dress codes at protests (suits for men, dresses for women), bans on any form of public displays of affection and critiques of more militant efforts to gain equality beyond federal employment, specifically actions like the 1969 Stonewall Inn Riots.
Trying to project a straight-laced image in situations where you’re constantly being referred to as mentally ill or a deviant was a formidable strategy, but in hindsight these approaches only favored those that fit the mold of the “perfect homosexual” and alienated people of color, many women and the transgender community.
I appreciate that Cervini brings in all sides of Kameny’s personality and the opinions of him from those in his orbit. It provides a more unbiased view and further spotlights the fervor with which he wanted progress. He dedicated his life to pushing for equality, and while we owe him a debt of gratitude, I think many readers will struggle with his approach.
Among the more interesting tidbits:
Bayard Rustin, an openly gay man that was an adviser to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., was instrumental in coordinating the March on Washington in 1963.
The first gay rights demonstration occurred in 1964 when Randy Wicker (also a fascinating character) was joined by eight others (including an infant!) in New York City.
President Lyndon B. Johnson’s top aide, Walter Jenkins, was arrested for “disorderly conduct” with a man prior to the 1964 election. Johnson said of the arrest: “I couldn't have been more shocked about Walter Jenkins if I'd heard that Lady Bird had tried to kill the Pope." Jenkins resigned soon after, but Lady Bird Johnson issued a statement of support for him.
Senator Joseph McCarthy blackmailed Democratic Wyoming Senator Lester Hunt into giving up his bid for re-election or else face the public release of information about his son’s arrest for homosexual behavior. Hunt killed himself shortly before the election instead of facing ridicule.
Senator Clyde Hoey, and his 1950 report on “Homosexuals and Other Sex Perverts in Government” put forth the standards that were used to discriminate against gays and lesbians in the federal government for more than 40 years.
In 1971, Kameny became the first openly gay candidate for U.S. Congress, finishing fourth (out of six). Kameny also loved to goad high-ranking officials over the years, including J. Edgar Hoover and Congressman John Dowdy, who blocked his efforts to fundraise for the Mattachine Society of Washington.
Near the end of the book, a few notable people from later in the LGBTQ+ equal rights movement make appearances, including Marsha P. Johnson. This further emphasizes that equality was – and in many cases still is – focused on white, cis gendered and mostly male individuals.
While amazing gains have been made for all LGBTQ+ Americans, it is important when reviewing our past that we acknowledge those voices missing. It is on all of us, especially the white men, to ensure that the next 60 years of queer history amplifies and acknowledges these contributions more openly – and correctly.
Rating (story): 4/5 stars
Rating (narration): 3/5 stars
Format: Audiobook (library loan)
Dates read: August 25 – 30, 2020
Multi-tasking: Good to go, but you’ll want to focus when specific events are discussed.
