Living in Arcadia: Homosexuality, Politics, and Morality in France from the Liberation to AIDS

336 Pages·2009·1.4 MB·English

by  Julian Jackson

LIVING IN ARCADIA

LIVING IN
ARCADIA
Homosexuality, Politics, and Morality
in France from the Liberation to AIDS
Julian Jackson
The University of Chicago Press Chicago and London
julian jackson is professor of modern French history, Queen Mary, University of
London. He is author of The Politics of Depression in France (1985), The Popular Front in
France: Defending Democracy, 1934–1938 (1988), France: The Dark Years, 1940–1944 (2001),
The Short Oxford History of Europe, 1900–1945 (2002), The Fall of France (2003), and De
Gaulle (2003).
The University of Chicago Press, Chicago 60637
The University of Chicago Press, Ltd., London
© 2009 by The University of Chicago
All rights reserved. Published 2009
Printed in the United States of America
16 15 14 13 12 11 10 09 1 2 3 4 5
isbn-13: 978-0-226-38925-7 (cloth)
isbn-10: 0-226-38925-1 (cloth)
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Jackson, Julian, 1954–
Living in Arcadia : homosexuality, politics, and morality in France from the
liberation to AIDS / Julian Jackson.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
isbn-13: 978-0-226-38925-7 (cloth : alk. paper)
isbn-10: 0-226-38925-1 (cloth : alk. paper) 1. Homosexuality—France—History.
2. Baudry, André. I. Title.
hq76.3.f8j33 2010
306.76'60944—dc22
2009030037
The paper used in this publication meets the minimum requirements
of the American National Standard for Information Sciences—
Permanence of Paper for Printed Library Materials, ansi z39.48-1992.
To André Baudry

Contents
Acknowledgments • xi
Introduction • 1
Cambridge to Paris, 1978 • 1
“The French Exception”: Gay Historiography in France • 4
Arcadie: The Unknown Story • 6
Rethinking Arcadie • 8
PART ONE. THE BACKGROUND • 17
1. Homosexuality in France from the Revolution to Vichy • 20
Homosexuality and the Revolution • 20
Regulating Sexual Disorder in the Nineteenth Century • 21
French Variations • 24
Paris as Sodom • 27
Homosexuality in Belle-Époque Paris • 28
The Interwar Years: Talking about Homosexuality • 31
2. The Shadow of the Occupation, 1942–1955 • 37
1940: Blame It on Gide • 37
Fascinating Fascism: Sleeping with the Enemy • 40
Liberation: “Beautiful Babies” and Unruly Youths • 43
Moral Order • 44
Freedom in Clandestinity: The “Civilization of the Pissotières” • 46
Fighting the Puritans: Futur • 50
PART TWO. ET IN ARCADIA EGO, 1954–1968 • 55
3. Beginnings, 1954–1956 • 58
Losing a Vocation, 1922–1945 • 58
Finding a Vocation, 1946–1952 • 61
Young Man in a Hurry, 1953 • 68
Recruiting Support: Treason of the Clerks, 1954 • 75
Teething Troubles I: Quarrel with Amsterdam, 1955–1956 • 79
Teething Troubles II: “A Danger to Youth,” 1955–1956 • 83
4. Survival, 1956–1968 • 87
Living in the Catacombs, 1956–1957 • 87
Putting Down Roots, 1957–1959 • 91
A New Recruit: Daniel Guérin • 95
“Social Scourge,” 1960 • 97
Arcadie Embattled, 1960–1964 • 100
Arcadie Becalmed, 1964–1968 • 104
5. The Vision of Arcadie: Homosexuality and Ethics • 111
The Homophile International • 111
Escaping the Shadow of Gide • 115
Science and History • 118
“Permanent and Diff use Revolution” • 122
The Politics of Dignity • 128
Ethics and Authenticity: Assuming One’s Condition • 127
The Secret Garden • 130
6. Living in Arcadie • 134
A Spiritual Family • 134
Finding Arcadie • 135
Arriving at Arcadie • 137
The Provincial Desert • 140
Building a Library I • 145
Building a Library II • 147
The Club • 151
“La Bonne Parole” I: Preaching the Arcadian Life • 157
“La Bonne Parole” II: Living the Arcadian Life • 160
PART THREE. ARCADIE CONTESTED, 1968–1982 • 169
7. The Deluge, 1968–1972 • 172
Sexual Revolutions • 173
1968: The Revolution and Sex • 177
Monks in the Dark Ages? • 180
“Homosexuality, This Painful Problem” • 183
The Rise and Fall of FHAR • 185
The “Toads of Arcadie” • 190
8. The Arcadie Years, 1973–1978 • 195
Recognition at Last • 195
The “Arcadian People” • 197
Competitors I: The Sex Explosion • 199
Competitors II: The Political Explosion • 203
The Giscardian Moment • 206
Splendors and Miseries of Homosexual Life • 210
Political Openings • 212
Coming Out, Arcadie Style: “Living without a Mask” • 215
The Pedophile Moment • 218
Living in the Ghetto: Gay Island or Sad Asylum? • 222
9. The End, 1979–1982 • 226
Apotheosis: May 1979 • 226
Realignments on the Left • 228
Arcadie Misses the Boat • 231
The Last Days • 233
Reactions • 238
Conclusion • 242
End of an Era • 242
The Arcadian Diaspora • 244
All Arcadians Now? • 247
Notes • 255
Bibliography • 295
Index • 309