City of Sisterly and Brotherly Loves: Lesbian and Gay Philadelphia, 1945-1972

Until now, historians have ignored Philadelphia's gay history, focusing instead on that of New York or San Francisco. An assistant professor of history at Toronto's York University, Stein argues that Philly's history is equally colorful and unique. Drawing on extensive interviews with people involved in the city's gay community over the last 60 years, local gay and mainstream publications and minutes from the meetings of both the city government and homosexual groups, Stein charts the growth of a vibrant pre-Stonewall gay and lesbian community, its subsequent political struggles and grassroots efforts and its emergence in the radical gay movement of the 1970s. He is at his best when describing the relationship between gay men and lesbians amid the city's complex network of neighborhoods and their successes and difficulties in working on political and social projects together. And when he turns his focus to smaller details--such as the Catholic Church's campaign against naming a new bridge after Walt Whitman or the impact on national politics of Drum, a 1960s Philly-based gay magazine--the result can be engaging and informative. In the end, however, this well-intentioned book too often reads like a doctoral thesis, with insights that are often obvious or academic. (May)